No Holds Barred
by NeptunesBlue
Summary: Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.
1. Tanuki

**No Holds Barred**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

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><p><strong>AN:** This has also been posted as chapter 30 of my other SC fic, Just Another Day in the Life. I decided to turn this into a separate story when I realized a multi-chapter plot in a drabble series can get annoying if it's not resolved in two chapters. So here we are. Enjoy.

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><p>"Your boss posted your bail." The man with the keys opened the cell door next to Mugen's. The man got up slowly and shuffled outside, smirking and giving the pirate the finger when the door slammed shut behind him again.<p>

"What about me?.!" Mugen exclaimed, shaking the bars that contained him. "Where's _my_ bail?.!"

The man with the keys shrugged, just as a wealthy looking man came to scold the one who had just been released. "If no one comes by morning, you'll be executed with the other criminals."

"That's bullshit! I didn't do nothin'!"

"That asshole's _face_ says different." Key-man indicated the newly liberated man bowing in front of his boss.

Mugen couldn't hide his smirk – the man was right after all. After he had attempted to steal his bottle of saké, the man had turned thrown the first punch. And while Mugen may not have started it, he sure as shit had finished it.

"Bar fights, _again?_" Boss sounded exasperated as he rolled his eyes at the swollen-faced man at his feet. "And by the looks of it, you _lost_. What the hell kind of guard are you, anyway? I'm not paying you to get your ass handed to you, Genji." He kicked the injured man off his feet. "Get up, you sack of shit. This is coming out of your pay, I hope you know."

"Yo!"

Both stopped in their tracks and turned to Mugen.

"What about me?"

Boss gave an expectant look. "What _about_ you?"

"I'm the one who kicked his ass." The pirate declared. "So get me outta here and I won't hold no grudge."

Boss stared for a moment before bursting into uproarious laughter and kicking his guard over to Mugen's cell. "He wants out so bad? Let him out!" There was a wicked gleam in his eye. "We'll take him in and show him the meaning of _true _freedom, eh boys?"

Mugen wasn't a moron. Clearly, this boss wasn't just some smalltime mook if he had this room full of lawmen laughing nervously alongside him.

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><p>One prison cell for another. He'd really stepped in it now, Mugen realized upon waking up. The bucket empty of the cold water used to rouse him was tossed his way spitefully as Genji grinned his swollen mouth. The pirate had been knocked out the moment he stepped out of his cell last night, probably to prevent him from recognizing anything on the way to his "true freedom."<p>

"You're up, pal."

Mugen shook his head of the droplets like a dog. "I ain't goin' nowhere without breakfast."

"Funny, kid." Genji opened his cell door and nodded for him to get a move on. "Don't make 'em wait or there'll be consequences."

Unwilling to show his confusion in front of someone as stupid as this other man appeared to be, Mugen obliged and followed him out of the cell. They passed several others as they made their way to wherever the hell they were going. Mugen ignored their teasing and placed his hands behind his head, realizing something was missing.

"Hey, what'd you do with my sword?"

Genji smirked. "Gotta earn your weapons, kid."

Mugen halted, not liking the sound of that. The guard pulled back a tarp on the wall, revealing a door concealed behind it. He kicked it open and motioned for Mugen to go through.

"Screw you." Mugen shook his head no. "Where's my sword?"

"Get out there, jerk-off!" Genji grabbed him and shoved him through the door, slamming it shut before he could get back through.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill you for that!" Mugen leapt off the dirt and banged his fists against the door. "Ya hear me, princess?.! Better watch your ass!"

"Save it for the match." Two other guards restrained him by his underarms and dragged him down the remainder of the hallway.

Mugen winced at the bright light, unprepared when the two guards tossed him away. But this time, he didn't eat dirt; turning to give them a scowl.

"Round two, ladies and gentlemen!"

Mugen froze and took in his surroundings. He was in an arena, that much was certain. A giant ring surrounded on all sides by spectators. A man stood on the highest tier, barking at the audience. Mugen recognized the boss from last night, sitting with a wicked grin on his face as he stared down at him. He watched as Boss motioned at the announcer, returning a moment later.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been informed that we have fresh meat tonight!" He pointed Mugen's way.

The pirate wanted nothing more than to rip the lips off every single one of these asshats in the audience. See who'd be laughing then.

"Let me explain the rules to you, newbie." Announcer continued. "They're quite simple and something you criminals are rather familiar with." A pause for flair. "Kill, or _be_ killed."

More cheers. Mugen gnashed his teeth – he should have known. He'd seen it a million times before. Bloodsport. Thrown in a ring against another sap in the same position, unable to do anything but fight until one dropped like a Goddamned fly. The winner kept moving onto the next round with new opponents, until he died or they ran out of opponents. In which case, the troupe would move onto the next place, collecting as much fresh meat as they could along the way.

And Mugen had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

"Step forward to meet your opponent, newbie!"

Reluctantly, Mugen did as told. It beat having those two touchy mooks start shoving him again. He spotted the other man walking toward him and blinked several times, wondering just how hard he'd fallen. But when they got close enough to shake hands, he realized this was really happening.

"That's my sword, kid." The pirate informed him. He wasn't even wearing the damn thing right!

"Weapons have to be earned." The brat replied, brandishing the blade and tossing the scabbard aside.

There was no way in hell Mugen was about to fight a kid wielding his own weapon. "Listen, give it back and we can both forfeit this crazy shit."

"Can't." His upturned nose made him look slightly piggish. "Forfeit's death, too. If you don't die here, they kill you in the back."

Mugen slapped his forehead. "So you're tellin' me if we both back down, we both die?"

He nodded.

"Shit." He spat. "Then we got no choice, huh?"

"Nope."

Mugen grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Just try not to dull my blade."

The kid placed it in front of him in a stance that clearly showed he had no experience. "Piece of shit like this couldn't cut dango."

"Tch." Mugen scoffed as the kid took a step forward and swung.

"And it begins, ladies and gentlemen!"

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><p><strong>AN:** Humor me with the opening. I'm not privy to the Edo Era justice system so I stuck to what I know. Also, I left out calling them cops because I don't know what they had back then. But yes, Key-Man is pretty much a cop ^^U And if I continued any further, this would have been a Godzilla chapter (1,133 already). And no one wants a Godzilla chapter…unless you're looking for a Godzilla fic, in which case what are you doing here? ;) But enough of my cheesy ways, things pick up in chapter 2, which should be up soon! Stay beautiful, loves and I'll see you next update!

**Preview ch.2: **_The sensation of cold metal against his warm pulse halted any further action. He stared helplessly as the crowd cheered for his demise._


	2. Gashadokuro

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

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><p><strong>AN:** Things pick up in this chapter (obviously). As for general chapter length from here on, I'm not sure. I don't plan on excruciatingly long chapters but I really doubt any of these will be 500 words or less. So I guess we can say chapters will vary from 500 words to Godzilla. Also, previews for the next chapter will be provided only if that next chapter has already been written at the time of upload. But enough politics, you get the idea. Enjoy chapter 2!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Gashadokuro<strong>

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><p>Mugen slapped his forehead. "So you're tellin' me if we both back down, we both die?"<p>

He nodded.

"Shit." He spat. "Then we got no choice, huh?"

"Nope."

Mugen grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Just try not to dull my blade."

The kid placed it in front of him in a stance that clearly showed he had no experience. "Piece of shit like this couldn't cut dango."

"Tch." Mugen scoffed as the kid took a step forward and swung.

"And it begins, ladies and gentlemen!"

The kid was pretty good…at chopping air.

"Seriously, you even _tryin'_ to hit me?" Mugen hadn't even removed his hands from his pockets yet. The kid was swinging the sword like it was too heavy for him, letting the weight of the blade do the work. It made him predictable. Very predictable. He would swing left, Mugen would dodge right. He would swing right, Mugen would dodge left. Like clockwork. The dance wouldn't end unless Mugen ended it for them.

But a sword was still a sword. Wild swinging was almost as dangerous as a precision strike. Being unpracticed gave the kid a slight advantage – while Mugen could predict _where_ the next strike would hit, he couldn't tell _how_ until it was already swung. Getting close enough to knock the pain in the ass out would be an even bigger pain in his ass. All he wanted was his sword back so he could just get the hell out of this place.

"Hold still, you're like a freakin' monkey!"

Was that a serious request?

The kid swung the sword like he wanted to slice Mugen in half from the head down. The pirate moved back easily enough and watched the blade plunge into the ground. As much as it killed him to do it to his own weapon, he stomped on the tip to keep the kid from plucking it from the ground again.

He tugged to no avail until Mugen stepped on the middle, sending the handle crashing down onto his opponent's toes. The kid yelped and struggled to get free, falling back on his rear and scrambling to get back up.

The sensation of cold metal against his warm pulse halted any further action. He stared helplessly as the crowd cheered for his demise.

"Finish him!"

"Get it over with!"

"Kill the brat!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we have a victor for this round!" Announcer bellowed. "The newbie has defeated Tanuki, but why does he hesitate? Does he not know in order to claim full victory, your opponent must be dead?"

"Finish him!"

"Kill him!"

"Don't." The kid pleaded, sitting up on his knees and begging at Mugen's feet. The tip of the sword (which was finally in its rightful owner's hands) dug into the top of his head. "I'm too young to die." He wept. "There's still so much I haven't –"

"Gimme a break." The pirate snapped, whacking the crown of his head with the broad side of his blade, like he was a bad dog. The kid scooted back, cradling his aching cranium. "Listen up." He barked, sick of his shit. "*When you point a sword at someone, you either you kill them or they kill you. There ain't no in-between, you got me?"

The kid looked at Mugen with eyes wide, like he was Death himself come to claim his young soul. "N-no!" He shook his head, tears streaming down his face as he fought to stand.

Mugen kept the sword level with his neck easily enough as he tried to maneuver out of his clutches. Finally, he stopped and the pirate wondered if he was ready to give up – the fight had been over quickly enough.

"What are you waiting for, newbie?" Announcer goaded as the crowd grew restless. "Finish him off and claim your prize!"

Mugen cocked a brow – prize? No one told him about prizes. He tightened his grip on the sword's handle and prepared to swing. But the kid turned on his heel and ran for his side of the ring at the last second– straight to the hallway. Mugen didn't bother chasing after him, wondering where the kid thought he could escape to when the door was guarded.

"The coward's way out!" Announcer exclaimed, to uproarious laughter. "Tanuki has chosen to flee the arena only to come face to face with another execution! Why, oh why wouldn't he choose to die as a warrior?"

The two guards restrained him and looked back at Announcer for further instruction. Everyone turned to that highest tier, where Boss was standing. His wicked grin found Mugen before giving the thumb's up and sending the crowd into applause.

Mugen's eyes darted between the two faces, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Were they judging him? Did he win? And most importantly, did he get his prize?

Boss leaned over to Announcer and whispered something into his ear. Something delightful, if the latter's expression could be judged. Mugen had a bad feeling about that. Whenever people in power smiled that way, it never ended well.

"Newbie, you have been given the honor of executing your opponent yourself!" Announcer threw his arms into the air and whipped the crowd into frenzy. "Go! Execute!"

"Execute! Execute!" parroted the audience.

Mugen stuck his finger in his ear and pointed his blade to the highest tier in lieu of a free digit. "Yeah, yeah but before all that." He began. "Where's my prize?" He met Boss' scowl and raised him a grin.

Announcer looked confused for a moment, before lowering his voice to a pitch only Mugen could hear. "You'll get it when this is over. Now just kill the little shit so we can move on already."

Mugen turned, a little excited now. "Good enough for me." He made his way to the opposite side of the ring, mind aflutter with what his prize could possibly be. Money? Women? Saké? _All three?.!_

The kid struggled to get free as he approached, so much so that one of the guards whacked him upside the head. The hit was hard enough to knock him out, and the guard shrugged.

"Least we can do for the poor fuck."

Mugen agreed, though he said nothing as he lifted his sword above his head. The crowd went wild and it was all he could do to get it over with as fast as he could. With a deep inhale, he brought the blade down as hard as he could, shutting his eyes as warm crimson splashed back in his face. The crowd grew impossibly loud and drowned out the sound of the wet thud that landed at his feet. Thankfully, face down.

The guards wasted no time in retrieving the spoils of this battle and taking it into the back room with them.

"Ladies and gentleman!" Announcer exclaimed, in front of the grinning Boss. "Your champion tonight – *_Gashadokuro_!"

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><p><strong>AN: **Was the fight too quick? I mean, he went up against a teenage boy so it's not like it would have dragged on, but I don't know. And I like this chapter length – 1,000-1,500 words, so I think that's going to be the standard goal from now on. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it each time. Either way, I hope you enjoyed. See you in chapter 3!

* "_When you point a sword at someone…"_ – comes from Mugen, final episode. Couldn't resist, it's one of my faves :D

* _Gashadokuro_ is a giant skeleton in Japanese mythology. They bite the heads off people too slow to escape them and can only be detected by a ringing in your ears. (And yes, all the fighters will be named after Japanese mythological figures. Stage names, I mean.)

**Preview ch.3:**_The pirate gripped the dish at his mouth and flung it at her – now it was personal. The bowl shattered against one of the bars and catapulted the broth all over her white jinbei. _


	3. Dokurosan

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

**A/N:** Warning: cursing. But it wouldn't be Mugen-centric without some F-bombs, right? Also, Boss, Announcer and any other character like that probably won't ever be given official names. I gave Genji a name because it would be confusing with all the other guards running around the place. But other than that, unless they're significant in some way, they won't be known by an official name; just their title or stage nickname. And I won't be italicizing foreign words anymore. They'll get an asterisk * next to them and an explanation at the end instead. But other than that, I think you'll be able to tell what's what here – names, food, clothes, whatever. So with all that out of the way, enjoy chapter 3!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Dokuro-san<strong>

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><p>It took three guards to get him back into his cell. After he had been told what his prize was, he went apeshit. Dinner. Fucking dinner was his Goddamn prize. His sword had been wrested away from him during the squabble but he had used the scabbard just as effectively. One guard was going home with a broken jaw, one had been stabbed in the foot, and Genji had made out with only a chipped tooth. He was the one who had delivered the sucker punch to the pirate's gut; rendering him stunned enough to be jammed back into his cage.<p>

He had regained his bearings when he heard a smattering of voices all around him. A woman in a white *jinbei smiled down at him from outside his cell as two more men eyed him from the cells surrounding his.

"Hey, there." She greeted, leaning against the bars with a lazy grin. "I see you got some food."

Mugen eyed the tray in the corner of his cell and, after making sure it was out of everyone's reach but his, returned to the woman. "I ain't in the sharin' mood tonight, sweetheart."

"I'd imagine not, after that total _workout_ you went through." She rolled her eyes and the two men in the cells around his chuckled. "That must have been a real grueling match, huh? You lasted nearly a whole ten minutes." Her voice was devoid of every emotion but sarcasm.

Mugen scowled and picked up his soup bowl. He took a sip of the lukewarm broth, which was just plain miso. He had a few tiny blackened fish – wondering if they were blackened intentionally, and a simple glass of water. Not exactly what he'd call a "prize", and certainly not one worth losing your life over.

But the woman didn't leave after his attempt at subtlety. "You must be a real two-pump chump, huh?"

The pirate gripped the dish at his mouth and flung it at her – now it was personal. The bowl shattered against one of the bars and catapulted the broth all over her white jinbei. If she didn't like subtlety, maybe she'd like blatant instead.

The woman shrieked in rage and rattled his cell bars in lieu of being able to grab him. "You'll regret that, you two-pump chump!"

Mugen watched her go with a bored expression, a bit sad that his soup was all gone now. He looked in either cell at his side, but neither guys had food. In fact, they were eyeing his tray like hungry wolves.

"You really will regret doing that." One of them spoke.

"Neko-sama's a real bitch. She won't be satisfied until you're completely miserable…" The other one paused. "And then she'll probably kill you."

Mugen scoffed. "Well that's too bad, fellas. I don't plan on stickin' around here much longer, anyways."

The two men gave each other perplexed looks before bursting into laughter. "He thinks he can escape! What a dumbshit!"

"Kiss my ass!" Mugen exclaimed, launching to his feet and heading for the cell door. He paused and stared at it as though just realizing the one major hindrance in his escape. He tugged the bars, but the wrought iron merely jiggled noisily in response. Realizing this would be tougher than he originally thought, Mugen got crafty. His arm and leg slipped through the bar easily enough, but his torso and head were too big to fit. He spat a curse as his two neighbors erupted into a fit of giggles again.

"He thinks he can –" One was too overcome with hysteria to finish his thought.

"You're a skinny bastard, but you're not _that_ skinny, *Dokuro-san!"

"Screw you!" He roared, un-wedging himself from the bars and glaring at them. "Shit." He put his hands behind his head in thought, and froze. "Where the hell is my sword?.!"

"He _is_ a dumbshit!" They laughed until Mugen grabbed one of them by the collar and yanked him against the bars.

"Who took it?" He snarled, making sure the kid got a good taste of iron.

"How the hell would I know?"

Mugen glared. "'Cause I had it when I left the damn arena and now it's gone!"

"Don't yell at him just because you can't keep track of your own belongings."

He turned toward the feminine voice and found her standing outside his cell. "What, does _every_ bitch get to walk around while we rot in our cells?"

She shook her head negatively, a pile of white clothes in her arms. "The violent ones stay in their cells. The rest of us are free to roam the cellblock."

Mugen released his neighbor and the skinny man fell to the ground. "So what do you want?"

She shrugged, white jinbei loose around her shoulders. "I offered to take these to you instead of one of your guards." He handed the clothes to him through the bars.

"Well, ain't you a peach."

She tossed the jinbei set his way when he didn't take them. "I did it because wanted to scope out my competition, actually."

He cocked a brow at her. "I'm fightin' you next?"

She chuckled and leaned against the bars, clasping her hands together. "No one explained the rules to you, huh?" Her pink lips quirked into a tiny smirk when his stubborn silence answered her question. "Everyone here, except you, is a champion. We survived our rounds and now it's your turn."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" He demanded, wanting out more than ever now.

"Think of it as a traveling circus…only with blood sport." She rolled her eyes. "Boss picks up stragglers who fight until they're killed. Whoever survives until we leave for the next place, becomes a champion." She shrugged. "Simple, really. We don't fight until Boss runs out of fresh meat."

Mugen couldn't believe his ears. He had to get out. He wasn't a damn sideshow attraction. He wouldn't dance like a monkey when music was played, Goddammit!

"I'm called *Hone-onna, by the way. Hone-chan." She smiled. "And you're Dokuro-san."

Mugen rolled his eyes and plopped down on the ground. "Know any ways outta here?"

She chuckled. "There's only one way for us, and you helped Tanuki-chan out."

He spat and plopped his chin in his palm atop his knee. "Bull. Where's the closest door?"

Hone-chan stared at him like he'd sprouted a second head. "Don't you think those of us who are allowed to walk freely would have walked straight out of here if it were that simple?"

"She's right." Mugen's skinny neighbor nodded. "It isn't as easy as just walking out."

"Then what's it like?" He demanded, getting antsier by the minute.

"Don't get snappy with *Kumo-chan." Hone-chan snapped.

Mugen looked at the gangly guy beside him, wondering what all the fuss was about.

"That's my baby brother, I'll have you know." She clarified. "So watch your ass."

The pirate growled and slammed his fist on the ground. "Enough of this horseshit already! Get me the fuck outta here!"

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><p><strong>AN:** Yawn. No ass-beatings this chapter. Sorry, establishing chapters tend to be boring. Can't say the same for next chapter though…;) Word count: 1,169. I decided to end it here because I was getting bored writing straight conversation and we already established the majority of what Mugen needs to know about the way things work. And if I'm bored writing, you're probably bored reading. By the way, I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't think of this earlier…but the title of this story comes from a trope (what else? -_-U) known on tvtropes(dot)com as "No Holds Barred Beatdown." Also, let me know when/if the honorifics (chan, san, sama, etc) get annoying and I'll figure something out. Hope you enjoyed! See you in chapter 4!

*_Jinbei_ are like pajamas (like Japanese flannel pjs, I guess. Wikipedia has a good picture) but I saw it fitting to use here as prison garb since it wouldn't make sense for Boss to go all out and spend money on ninja/kunoichi clothes for each fighter.

*_Dokuro_ means skull. Mugen's stage name is _Gashadokuro_ (a giant skeleton monster) but since I can't find a concrete translation for _gasha_ (if there even is one, I assume it means 'giant' or 'big') I stuck with Dokuro. It will change if I can find a better nickname for his nickname ;)

*_Honne-onna_ is a skeleton woman who lures men to drain their life force

*_Kumo_ is spider, but his stage name is _Tsuchigumo_ after the spider-people of ancient Japan; also a derogatory name for a thief *hinthint*

**Preview ch.4:** _Voices cried out after him, becoming a faded cacophony the farther he ran. No footsteps yet. Good. They wouldn't be able to catch him if he kept up like this. _


	4. Cave

**No Holds Barred**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

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><p><strong>AN:** I've decided to drop the honorifics unless a character is being called by another character specifically. Otherwise, they'll just be known as their nickname. It's less complicated that way, I believe. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Cave<strong>

He had no sense of time – his biological clock was too screwy to tell whether it was day or night. All he knew was, sleep was the last thing on his mind. He lay on his flimsy futon, using his ratty blanket as an even worse pillow. Everything was damp here – the thin mat underneath him, the bundled sheet beneath his head. Hell, even his own damn clothes were beginning to absorb the ever-present moisture in this air. It weighed him down and covered his skin in an unpleasant stickiness. All he wanted to do was get free, but all he could do was lay there.

They had to be underground. Mugen had only tasted this kind of stale air in one place before – the caves of Ryukyu, where breathing the watered down oxygen became a chore the farther down you ventured. He also knew there was only one surefire way out of a cave, and about a million ways to get lost.

He glared at the ceiling, as though the fire in his eyes would burn straight through to the surface and set him free.

"Any of you assholes awake?" He spoke, breaking the dense silence of the cellblock. He received no answer and sighed. "I wanna get outta here."

"Like we keep telling you." Came *Satori's growl. "There _is_ no way out."

Mugen had learned of his other neighbor's name through Kumo, and just how he earned it. Apparently, the guy was able to predict his opponent's moves so well that the audience began to believe his fights were staged. Announcer claimed he was possessed by a satori and simultaneously collected the most profit with him. Since then, every fighter worth a damn was named after a demon.

"You guys are a buncha nutjobs." Mugen snarled, foul mood exacerbated by this damn humidity. He couldn't decide if he was hot or cold, and it was beginning to make his skin crawl. "You think the guards just evaporate through the fuckin' walls like ghosts? There _is_ a way outta here."

"I would suggest sleeping as much as you can, Dokuro-san." Hone declared. "You fight every night until Boss runs out of opponents."

"Or until you die." Added Kumo, receiving a swift kick in the head from Mugen's equally long legs.

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><p>Asleep, he was damp and cool. Awake, he was drenched and freezing. Mugen watched the bucket clatter on the ground as Genji discarded it.<p>

"Found me a pretty little flower to water." The guard grinned, opening the pirate's cell. Neko chuckled from beside him, and Hone rolled her eyes before shoving past them to get to her brother's cell.

To Genji's dismay, Mugen didn't move and his cheery expression dissolved. "C'mon, your fight's about to start."

No such luck. Kumo and Satori had been torn from their respective time-wasters in order to watch the inevitable beating. They just wanted to see who would walk away when it was finished.

Impatience brought the guard into Mugen's cell. "Let's go. Get up." He grabbed his red *happi and heaved. "You're still wearin' this –"

Mugen broke the man's grasp by slamming his elbow onto his forearms. Genji cradled his injured limbs for a moment before snapping out of his stupor and giving chase. He managed to snatch the back of the pirate's happi, causing him to stumble backwards.

"You're gonna regret that." Genji menaced, keeping his grip tight as he approached.

Mugen cursed at the weight on his shirt and tore the tie that held it together. The fabric spilled from his torso and exploded onto Genji like a net – giving the pirate ample time to dash out of his cell. He grinned wickedly upon nearly tripping over the bucket used to wake him.

"Heads up!"

The guard tore the shirt away just in time for his face to catch the bucket Mugen had punted his way.

"Payback's a bitch, jerk-off!" He slammed his cell door shut and grabbed the ring of keys still inside the lock. Genji's groan echoed from inside the bucket, where he lay in a heap on the ground.

"You've done it now, chump."

Mugen ignored Neko in favor of peering over her head. Where was that door again? Down the cellblock to the right? Or was it left? Wait, wasn't this place a giant ring – circles don't have corners!

"Gah! Shit!" He barked, shoving Neko out of the way and galloping down the hall. Fuck directions, he had instincts! If he could navigate the Goddamn ocean, he could handle a circular dungeon.

Voices cried out after him, becoming a faded cacophony the farther he ran. No footsteps yet. Good. They wouldn't be able to catch him if he kept up like this. But everything looked the same. Cell after cell, it was all the same, save for a very big discrepancy in occupancy. After a certain point, the cells were all empty; dashing his hopes of stopping for directions.

"He headed that way, boys!"

Mugen turned and spotted a group of guards down the hall, Neko pointing in his direction.

"He attacked Genji and stole his keys!"

What a little snitch, he gnashed his teeth in lieu of something to hit.

So far, he hadn't been spotted, probably due to the dark shade of his naked torso. If he could just find a spot to lay low until the majority of the guards passed, he could take them out one by one along the way. Hell, maybe he could even "persuade" one of them into escorting him out. But first he had to find his sword, he realized. He wasn't going anywhere without his sword.

"He said something about getting revenge on Boss!"

"Lyin' bitch!" Mugen snarled. To hell with secrecy – this chick was begging for a beat down and he'd be damned if he didn't deliver.

The group of guards he thought surrounded her turned out to be just two. Disappointing, but he took what he could get.

"Alright, come quietly." One of them demanded, approaching him too quickly for his liking. "Your match –"

Mugen was in no mood. His palm found the guy's chin and knocked him backwards into the tiny crowd of spectators.

The other one narrowed his eyes. "You sonuva –"

It was hard to speak coherently with a knee in his groin. Mugen slammed his elbow over the back of his head to make sure he stayed down, before turning his gaze to Neko.

"I ain't in a good mood, bitch." He held her stormy gaze with one of his own. "Snitches get stitches."

* * *

><p>We interrupt this <strong>AN **to bring you:

**MY APOLOGIES!**

I've decided to leave my heartfelt apology for the bottom this time, because I feel like it may turn into a doozy. But I'll try to keep it short and sweet. Basically, I've started a new job where I'm working 10 hours a day (I managed to weasel my way out of working the 12 hour shift, thank God), so needless to say all I want to do when I get home is change into my pjs and collapse into bed. Because of this, I've been neglecting my stories out of sheer exhaustion-caused writer's block. The only reason this chapter got uploaded was because I'd written it previously and vowed not to upload it until I got the next chapter written (a promise I only half upheld…). But on top of that, my body is pretty much failing me. Oddly enough it's on my left side – they found a cyst on my left ovary (which is very common, but it still hurts like a beyotch), and then a polyp on the left side of one of my intestines (for which I am still awaiting the results). There's also something up with my liver that the doctor's want to check out, too. And on top of all that, I now have a nasty cold :(

Call it a guilty conscience, but I feel the need to properly explain my long absence. I think the last time I even visited FF was way back in October of 2011…4 months ago. Yowza. So for that, I feel like a dick and I apologize. But take solace in the fact that it wasn't intentional or out of laziness or anything like that. As much as I would love to stay in bed with hot tea and write all day, my writing isn't exactly in its "bill paying" stage, if you know what I mean. So I have to work 10 hours a day instead with all these ideas running through my mind, and no energy to put them down when I get home.

Phew. Now I feel a little better. But I just want to say thanks to those of you who are still reading this, along with my other stories. Again, I do not believe in keeping a story up if I don't intend to finish it. It may take a little while, but I promise this sucker is going places! So don't think I've forgotten about you!

And now, we return to your regularly scheduled **A/N**:

*_Satori _is a mountain demon that can read minds

*_Happi_. Mugen's outfit changes at the end of the last episode. His usual red _haori_ (jacket he wore over the white shirt) becomes a closed jacket type-thing, which looks like a _happi_ to me. Correct me if I'm wrong. See you in chapter 5!

**Preview ch.5:** _He shook his head a moment later, getting too sidetracked._

_ Step 1: Find sword._

_ Step 2: Kill everybody._

_ Step 3: Leave._

_ No frills, no problem. _


	5. Escape

**No Holds Barred**

* * *

><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Holy shit, is this a ghost sighting? Neptunesblue is back?.! I published this story way back in September of 2011, and last chapter was uploaded in February of 2012. So yes…it's been an entire since my last update. And speaking of last chapter, I feel like I need to clarify that last A/N where I explained the situation with my job and being sick. I am totally okay now. The cyst and polyp were benign (and gone/removed, respectively), and the enzyme count for my liver was just unusually high.

Now as for what you actually care about: the stories! I got a recent review for my SamCham drabble-series, which is what inspired me to get back into the swing of things. But I'm super-duper rusty, which is why I will be focusing mostly on this story (since it has an actual plot that I can follow) to get back into the groove of the SamCham-verse. So just bear with me for a little while, my lovelies, I promise I will try my hardest to make you proud!

Onward! New year, new (healthy) Neptune! ^^

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Escape<strong>

* * *

><p>"I ain't in a good mood, bitch." He held her stormy gaze with one of his own. "Snitches get stitches."<p>

Neko smirked, appearing unfazed. "You're just delaying the inevitable, Dokuro-san." Her voice was a coy purr. "The guards are endless and there is no place to hide."

"We'll see about that." He shoved her aside again in order to try the opposite path.

"She's right, Dokuro-*senpai." Kumo informed him as he passed his cell. Mugen ignored the skinny fighter. He wasn't anybody's senpai and sure as hell wouldn't become his.

Hone nodded her agreement, wisely staying out of the pirate's way. "This place is a labyrinth. You're only exhausting yourself before your match."

"Worry 'bout yourself." He snapped, stubbornly trudging on.

These people were fucking nuts, Mugen mused. They claimed to be "champion" fighters, but what the hell kinda warrior just sits around content with their prison cell? They should have been hot on his heels, sleeves rolled up and war in their eyes; ready to raise hell against their captors. Against Boss for tricking them into this place. Instead, they stood around like dumb dogs awaiting a command.

"True freedom, my ass." He grumbled, making note of the empty cells around him. He surmised that the fighters were grouped together to make them easier to keep track of, and that this place could hold a helluva lot more of 'em.

So these whackos wandered from place to place, collecting people stupid enough to fall for their tricks? Mugen gnashed his teeth, realizing that he was one of those morons. But that was fine, it was just fuel for his fire – and he intended to burn all these fuckers down.

Though, he did sort of agree with the idea of fighting being freedom. There was nothing more liberating than throwing a punch, and nothing greater than the moment you find someone strong enough to hit back. Mugen smirked at the thought of it, licking his chops in anticipation.

He shook his head a moment later, getting too sidetracked.

Step 1: Find sword.

Step 2: Kill everybody.

Step 3: Leave.

No frills, no problem. Well, except for the very big issue of not knowing where the hell he was going. But that was fine, too. There was no fork in this road so far, so it wasn't like he'd taken a wrong turn.

He just didn't like the silence. Silence meant no one was following him. And that didn't make sense. Didn't they know he was coming for them? Cocky bastards didn't deem him worthy of the effort?.!

He stopped, spotting a dark threshold ahead of him. Maybe they didn't follow him because they didn't think he'd make it. They thought he'd give up and turn right back around, huh?

Mugen smirked and tore one of the lanterns from the wall, rolling his shoulders to relieve some tension. Well, they had greatly underestimated him, something he would make them regret nearly as much as bringing him here in the first place.

His geta clanked noisily on the steps but he didn't care, ascending them at a quick trot. What he didn't expect was for them to end so abruptly. After the 13th step, there was nothing but ceiling and he spat a curse. This must have been what Hone meant when she called the place a labyrinth – their prison was actually an underground maze filled with false paths and faux freedom.

"Well, _fine!_" He slammed his fist against the ceiling in anger and tilted his head curiously when it jumped up. Light blinded him for a moment before the ceiling fell back down. A trick fucking door. "Well, shit." He grinned, tossing the thing aside with little regard for what was on the other side.

He came halfway through before realizing it was just a supply room. Brooms, mops, cloths, buckets, and the like. It was dark, but his lantern provided just enough light for his wolfish gaze. He would have gone back down and tried searching for another room if it weren't for all the voices coming from underneath the door.

They were incoherent. The kind of noisy hum generated by crowds. _Bustling_ crowds. The sort of crowds one would expect to see gathered for a spectator sport.

Mugen leapt into the room and tore open the door – it would be a cinch from here. He could just blend in with the crowd until he found his sword. Then revenge would be swift and sweet.

"Huh?"

"Hey, you!"

Mugen's smirk vanished as a guard turned to the door. He slammed it shut as the other man called for reinforcements, and snatched whatever he could find behind him. A broom. It would have to do for now.

The door exploded as four men charged in, catching Mugen as he leapt down the staircase. The supply room was too tight to fight in, so he'd taken it upon himself to change locations.

"Stop!"

"Hold it right there!"

Mugen grinned as the first one made it down. "Don't worry, fellas, I ain't goin' nowhere!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **In case you couldn't tell, I do have a bit of a love-affair with ending every chapter with a cliffhanger. I know, it's maniacal ^^ Also, I'm very big on Spike (from Cowboy Bebop) and Mugen allusions/parallels/comparisons (whatever you want to call them). The broom fight idea was inspired by Spike's broom fight with Elektra in the movie. Look for more allusions because if you're reminded of Cowboy Bebop for whatever reason, you can bet it wasn't a coincidence ;) See you in chapter 6!

*_Senpai_ is an honorific for someone who is your senior. Like a mentor of sorts. Correct spelling is senpai I believe, but English speakers pronounce it more like sempai, so don't get your panties in a twist if I wind up confusing the spellings down the line.

I'm super excited to be back (with a vengeance!), and I hope you're all excited to see me again even though I'm a huge asshole for not updating ANY of my stories in a year! I have revamped this sucker to be one helluva bumpy ride full of ridiculous twists and turns so get ready!

**Preview ch.6:** _Well, let's see them try to get a decapitation out of him when he refused to draw his sword._


	6. The Crowmen

**No Holds Barred**

* * *

><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Who's ready for some good ol' fashioned ass-kickin'?

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Crowmen<strong>

* * *

><p>One guard approached and gave the broom in Mugen's hand an amused look. His buddies behind him chuckled. "Look, boys. A new janitor. Already started on your community service, Dokuro-tan*?"<p>

Mugen snarled at the nickname, not really a fan of chitchat in the first place. It just took up time he could be using to get out of this place. "Yeah, I plan on the wiping the floor with your faces, actually."

The guard lunged when he realized Mugen's pun, but the pirate was quicker.

He fell onto his face and Mugen used him as a stepping-stone to accost the others. One grabbed the broom but Mugen spun around, knocking him away and whacking another one approaching from behind. He spat, cobwebs and dust covering his face.

"Get him, dammit!"

Mugen grinned as the three came charging at once. He ducked and their heads collided above him. He shot back up, bracing himself as his skull slammed into their chins and sent them stumbling backwards. He tripped the one in his way with the broomstick and ran back to the stairs no worse for wear.

"You can kiss Dokuro-tan's ass!"

"Don't let him get away!" The first guard, who had been knocked down, sat up and pointed to their escaping ward.

Mugen punched the trick door open and cursed when the broom impeded his hasty exodus. He dropped it like a hot potato and quickly shimmied his way into the supply room. But not quickly enough, as one of the guards grabbed his ankle and gave a heavy tug.

Mugen slipped, the guard outweighing him greatly, and slid back down the stairs. The metal-clad geta of his free foot cracked across the fat bastard's jaw, giving him a moment to scramble up a few more steps.

"You're not goin' anywhere, cupcake." A guard restrained him and managed to get him into a full-nelson hold, despite the pirate's best efforts to prevent it.

The three other guards chuckled as they approached, one with a bruised cheek and bleeding lip, another with an angry red mark across his face, and the final with a purpling black eye.

"He's got a fight to get to." The one restraining him said. "Boss is already pissed that he had to call an intermission to find this asshole."

Mugen laughed. "Ya might as well kill me here, then, ya dumb-fucks!"

"I've had enough of your mouth!" The guard with the broomstick mark across his face barked, taking a step forward and plummeting his meaty fist into Mugen's gut.

The pirate buckled, held up by the headlock, but still managed to chuckle from behind a wheeze. "Is that all you pussies got?"

He heard knuckles crack and felt their approach.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." One said. "I'm going to enjoy this _very_ much."

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats – the fight is about to begin!"<p>

Mugen managed to catch Announcer's voice through the violent ringing in his head. He had been beaten to nearly an inch of his life before Genji showed up and stopped the hungry pack of wolves intent on sending him to an early grave. They couldn't kill him because Boss didn't have a fighter to replace him.

So Mugen had been dragged back down the cellblock, paraded in front of his cellmates as warning against any future uprisings, and tossed into the ring minutes later. He'd caught Hone trying to chastise him for his smirk, but refused to listen. Mostly because his ears were too swollen to hear anymore.

"Gashadokuro, take your sword!" Announcer bellowed, as a different guard handed the weapon to him.

Mugen slung it across his body, noting how rough the strap felt against his bare torso. But he wouldn't draw. Gashadokuro was a skeleton monster that bit the heads off people too slow to escape. Apparently, they planned on Mugen's gimmick to be decapitation. Well, let's see them try to get a decapitation out of him when he refused to draw his sword.

"Fighters, meet!" Announcer commanded, to the crowd's hollers to hurry up already.

Mugen limped to the center of the ring and tried to size up his opponent. It was a bit difficult with blood in his eye, but he could see clearly enough out of the other one.

"Gashadokuro is limping!" Announcer pointed out for those too far from the ring to see. "Is the fighter injured? What sort of advantage will this give his opponent?"

"Listen, kid." His opponent began. He was of a tall, muscular build. Fairly young, yet much older than Mugen. There was a severity in his gaze that the pirate wanted to slap off his face. "I'm not going to take it easy on you just because you got your ass handed to you before coming here. I've got kids at home and I don't plan on leaving them to take care of themselves. You got me?" He held out his hand for Mugen to shake.

"Whatever you say." Mugen took his hand.

"Begin!" Announcer boomed.

His opponent leapt back, fearing Mugen would lop his hand off if he stuck around any longer. He was swift for a man of his stature, Mugen noted grimly. He definitely wouldn't go down easy, especially when Mugen couldn't even see out of one damn eye.

"Draw." The man commanded, watching him carefully.

The pirate shook his head negatively. "Don't need it."

"That's a decision you're going to regret." He declared. "You're going to need every advantage you can get if –"

"Listen, pops." Mugen interrupted, wiping fresh blood from his eye in an attempt to clear his vision. "Shove it up yer ass and bring it on. You ain't gettin' any younger."

His burly opponent scowled. "I'll teach you the meaning of discipline, you little bastard."

It was the first time Mugen had ever been referred to as little, outside of when he was _actually_ little as a child. And it pissed him off now just as much as it did back then. If there was anything he hated more than opposition, it was _preachy_ opposition. Enemies who thought they knew everything and would share their gift of wisdom with the rest of the world.

He wanted to shut this man up.

So what if he had kids waiting for him at home? Did he expect Mugen to take it easy on him because of that? He scoffed – fat chance.

"Why are the fighters hesitating?" Announcer boomed, a none-too-subtle hint for someone to throw a damn punch already. "Don't they know it will be considered a double-forfeit if a move isn't made soon?"

Mugen turned, sick of his yammering. "Hey, shut your trap! I'll move when I feel–"

His opponent sent him flying with a fist to his face, blurry vision on that side proving to be a bigger issue than he originally thought. Thankfully, the majority of his face was already numb, but that didn't stop his brain from rattling around all over again.

He stumbled in his recovery, spitting out of a wad of bloody saliva. This time, when his opponent came, he was ready. He blocked the knee aimed for his gut but the force was still enough to knock him back a few steps. The pirate used that momentum to back flip and crack his foot against his chin, body too well-versed to waste potential energy like that.

All that stance crap was bullshit. Go with the flow and work with what was available. That was all fighting was, he believed. Don't try to dress it up with fancy poses, just find an opening and strike anyway possible. And make damn sure that strike counted for something. Waste not, want not.

Mugen swayed on his feet, flip dizzying him more than he expected as he watched his opponent advance. He had a trail of blood leading from his mouth to chin, but was otherwise no seemingly worse for wear. Mugen, on the other hand, was beginning to see double.

"_Fuck._" He clenched his eyes shut in a last-ditch effort to unscramble his brain.

"Come." His opponent beckoned.

"I ain't some _dog_, asshole." But in spite of his declaration, Mugen went on the offensive, anyway. He went in for an uppercut, deciding his chin was already a mess from the previous attack. Maybe he could get him to bite off his own tongue and choke on all the blood or something. He didn't know. He just needed this to end. Fast. While he could still stand.

The man's hand blocked his chin like a viper catching a mouse and tugged. Mugen slipped forward despite his best efforts to remain balanced, and fell straight into his attack. His stomach caught the brunt of his opponent's knee and he sputtered for air. The last thing Mugen recalled, as he lay panting on the ground, was how bird-like his opponent suddenly appeared.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Some more Mugen/Spike allusions. Episode 8 of _Cowboy Bebop_, "Waltz for Venus" has Spike giving tips in fighting to a kid he meets. Spike's tips include going with the flow and making all movements fluid and natural so that there is no wasted energy. Sort of like tripping over nothing and turning it into a cool parkour roll in the same move. God, I wish my reflexes were sharp enough to pull something like that off! But anyway, Jin describes Mugen as 'the most undisciplined fighter' he's ever met, so I decided to make his Papa Wolf opponent want to smack some discipline into him like a child. Hope you enjoyed!

*-Tan is another honorific, except this one is specifically baby talk used for kids and something ridiculously cute. –Chama or –tama is this for –sama, as well. So in this case, the guard is using –tan to just be a condescending ass to mock Mugen with baby talk.

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.7: <strong>_The shirtless pirate stood and smirked; crows cawed in his mind, and he thanked them silently._


	7. Anger Of The Earth

**No Holds Barred**

* * *

><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

**A/N:** Someone call Walter Cronkite, Neptune is back! I'm not making promises about how long I plan on being back, because if you've stuck around for this long already, you probably already know I'm kind of a shithead when it comes to sticking around. I've gotten back into making AMVs for SC, which explains me revisiting my fics. So again, no promises. Just new chapters.

Also, as for this chapter's title, it's the name of the song I was listening to while working on the crow men part. It's by Nomak, if you're wondering. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Anger of the Earth<strong>

* * *

><p>Stormy orbs opened slowly, wincing at the brightness before them. His eyes had cleared, permitting him optimal vision with which to stare at the men before him. No wonder he felt so good all of a sudden – he was dead. The crow men surrounded him, watching silently as their presence halted all time and space around them.<p>

Mugen inhaled, unable to move though he felt fine. "Not yet." He breathed, eyes narrowed to give his gaze a reprieve. How was it possible to feel so good yet so miserable at the same time?

Their heads tilted in mild curiosity, but the pirate understood them perfectly.

He struggled to move, unsure how to feel about all this missing pain. It was awfully tempting to just give in to it, but…

"Please."

Their feathered heads remained still, like living statues. Mugen felt suddenly overwhelmed by them, spears suffocating. Yet, they stood steadfast and unmoving.

"There are still things I have to do."

He felt like he was sinking, but his eyes revealed otherwise. Their staffs had risen and taken his body with it.

Mugen clenched his eyes shut to make the sensation stop. "I can die when I'm done."

Everything froze, and the pirate's eyes darted all around in an attempt to make sense of this inverted world.

He was falling now. Plummeting through this unbearable light and watching the crow men disappear one-by-one around him. There was no wind or surroundings to tell him so, but he knew he was falling backwards. Like a falling star, he soared downward back into his body. Back into pain and blurred vision and blood.

And he couldn't have asked for anything more.

His arm moved automatically before his eyes could open and his brain could register the situation. Mugen had caught his opponent's foot as it came down upon his skull. With a haggard breath, he shoved with all his might and sent the other man stumbling backwards.

"Gashadokuro making a dynamic re-entry, folks!" Announcer exclaimed, barely audible over the sudden boom of the audience. Most of them were standing or screaming their lungs out – ecstatic at Mugen's sudden revival.

The shirtless pirate stood and smirked; crows cawed in his mind, and he thanked them silently. He knew he would owe them plenty of eternities when his time finally came, but he was too preoccupied with living to care about dying.

"Still standing?" His opponent growled. "I underestimated you. I won't be doing that again." He took a wide stance and puffed outward like a bull.

"Fuck foreplay – let's end this." He snapped, knowing this magical adrenaline rush could only sustain him for so long. If he went down this time, he would not get back up again.

Mugen's second wind sent his feet flying as he charged his opponent, leaping into the air. He anticipated the simple block protecting the side of his skull, which is why the pirate cut his jump short and landed in front of his opponent instead. His legs spring-loaded, he used the crown of his head like a battering ram and took out his jaw.

The man cried out and fell forward onto his hands and knees, blood filling his mouth before spilling through his lips. He clutched his mouth in agony before spewing out a lump and glaring up at Mugen with wild eyes.

The pirate took in the scene with an appreciative nod. "Where you're goin', you won't be needin' a tongue anyways…" He reached behind him and drew his sword.

The man attempted to say something, but his speech was garbled due to his blood-filled mouth and missing muscle. He sat up, eyes tearing up in either fear or pain. Neither man was interested in the reason. All Mugen knew was that he was glad this guy's kids weren't around to see their father die on his knees.

"Gashadokuro-sama poises for the final strike!"

"Nothin' personal, pops." Mugen raised his blade over his head and inhaled before swinging. He felt the resistance of the man's thick neck, but once the metal cleared the bone, the rest was butter. Like a bat claiming a home run, his opponent's cranium was sent flying across the ring as the rest of his body collapsed in front of its executioner. Hot crimson sprayed Mugen's feet and sprinkled his face, but he didn't care.

*"My ears are ringing, ladies and gentlemen!" Announcer cried to the crowd's howling. "Gashadokuro adds another skull to his collection!"

Mugen wiped the sweat and blood from his brow and gave a weary grin of victory before falling backwards, welcoming the blackness as it drowned out the audience.

* * *

><p>"I almost got it!"<p>

"Shaddup, moron, you're going to wake him!"

"You made me spill some of it!"

"Move! This is _clearly_ too complicated for you, idiot."

Mugen stirred, opening his eyes and rubbing them when they didn't clear fast enough on their own. Before him were two women, one he recognized as the snitchy bitch Neko. The other one wasn't so familiar to him – she was paler than Neko with long dark hair. She was quite striking, like she belonged in a painting too fancy for him afford. But Mugen had a feeling she wasn't exactly the delicate flower she appeared to be if she was trapped in a place like this with him. Her long arms were stretched through his cell bars to grab his tray of food; Neko was shoving her from behind to give her some extra reach.

Both women froze when he sat up and stared at them. The unfamiliar woman knocked Neko away in her hasty attempt to right herself, bowing deeply at him.

"Greetings, Gashadokuro-sama." She said, voice like velvet. "I am called *Yuki-onna. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

He nodded noncommittally, noting the stiffness of his neck with an unpleasant groan. "Ditto." He was more interested in his surroundings than his residual pain – the two cells next to him were empty, as were the rest as far as he could see. "Where is everyone?"

"Thanks to your little stunt, Boss decided to give everyone permission to wander." Neko informed him, sneer in her voice. "He figures the more freedom everybody has, the less of a desire to escape they'll have."

He could really care less. He just wanted to make sure he wasn't having another trippy dream again. "How long have I been out?"

"How the hell would I know?" Neko snapped, folding her arms and walking away with a flourish. "Honestly, what am I? Your keeper?"

Yuki giggled from behind the back of her hand and began to follow her friend. But she paused and turned back to Mugen, tugging on his cell door and shrugging when it remained locked. "It was worth a shot."

He fell back onto his futon and shut his eyes, senses still too sharp to allow him a taste of oblivion while she still stood there.

"I apologize for trying to steal your food." She whispered, not wanting to interrupt the sleep he so obviously needed. "You need it more than I. Rest well."

Mugen exhaled heavily, finally succumbing to his exhaustion. He fought for a dreamless sleep. One lacking memories best left in the past.

Pirates invading Ryukyu.

An eternity at sea, protecting the only thing that kept him sane.

Kill or be killed, turning himself into a monster to survive.

Betrayal.

Washing ashore in a foreign land, alive only after bartering the crow men for his life.

Stealing in order to prolong their reunion a bit longer.

Incarceration and blue ink.

Salvation in a pink kimono.

Motivation through glasses.

That Goddamned fork in the road.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** If Mugen seems oddly articulate when talking to the crow men, it's because the crow men are actually _pantu_ (wandering gods) and are worshipped/revered. I just want to make it clear that it wasn't my intent to make him sound like he was begging, but merely speaking in a more respectful tone to avoid pissing them off. Like trying to convince your boss to give you a week off…not that I'd be well versed in anything like that, of course ;)

* The whole ringing ears thing has to do with the only way to detect a gashadokuro in folklore, which is by your ears ringing. Announcer is cheesy and decides to make this Mugen's calling card of sorts, on top of decapitation. Sort of like smelling what The Rock is cooking, for you old school WWE fans XD

* Yuki-onna is the ghost of a woman who died in a snowstorm. She freezes people stuck in blizzards, leads people the wrong way so they get lost in the snow forever, and/or seduces men and kills them mid-kiss/sex by freezing them or draining their blood/life-force. So I assume she would have to seem really charming, until you get to know her.

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.8:<strong> "No one wants to watch women kill each other." He explained. "So their matches are strictly wrestling and grappling."


	8. Probation

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I've decided that this story will be full of ass kicking. No shit, right? But how about some back-story for zest? Not sure how you feel about that? That's fine, because I don't either. But we're gonna find out together right now, friends. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Probation<strong>

* * *

><p><em> "Mugen!"<em>

_ The young pirate's head turned to her voice and spotted an even younger Kohza tangled in the ropes that kept the ship's mast open. She clawed at her restraints, thankful for all the rain that shielded her tears so successfully._

_ "Fuckin' moron!" He bellowed, finishing the complicated knots to his assigned ropes with a flick of the wrist. He shoved through the other men to get to her, storm making his clothes stick to his body like a second skin. "Ya shouldn't be out here in the rain – your clothes gettin' all wet'll give ya away!"_

_ "I know!" She snapped, careful to keep her voice low despite the downpour pounding the ship. "But I got all tangled up!"_

_ "That's for damn sure." He snaked his fingers through the rope and tore it from her arm._

_ She winced and swallowed her cry as Mugen tied it off for her, just in time for a mighty wave to ram into the side of the ship and send anyone not secured overboard. Kohza fell into his chest as he lost his footing and knocked the two of them down._

_ "Ouch!" She whimpered, slapping his hand away from her chest._

_ His eyes were huge. "When didja get tits, Kohza?.!"_

_ "Mugen!" Her face reddened and she kicked him off, unable to go anywhere until the ship steadied. "Someone could hear you!"_

_ "Someone help!" _

_ Both Ryukyu natives stared at the fingers grasping the ship's edge. Mugen stood and reached for the man, the latter's weight proving too much for his gangly form to equal. Kohza wrapped herself around her childhood friend's waist, lending her body for leverage just as he began to tip over._

_ "Let him fall!" The first mate commanded, appearing on the scene to assess the damage. "The mast isn't tied down yet and you two are slacking!"_

_ "Fuck off!" Mugen snarled, tugging the man up with all his might. But it was too much. His weight, the rain hindering his grip, and the brutal rocking of the ship all proved too much for the young pirate._

_ Mugen watched in horror as the man plummeted into the dark and violent waves below, arm feeling heavier than ever. He broke the surface several agonizing seconds later, sputtering and fighting to keep his head above the water._

_ "Rope!" Mugen exclaimed._

_ Koza leapt into action, scouring the deck for a rescue line. She grabbed the first thing she believed would reach the drowning man and ran back to Mugen's side. The first mate descended quickly, snatching away the rope and tossing it aside._

_ "He's as good as dead." He growled through his teeth. "Focus on the living."_

_ Mugen clenched the railing of the ship, sharp eyes tracking the man overboard. He was still alive and fighting, watching his only hope of survival disappear without him. There was no way he would be able to catch up by swimming, but that didn't stop him from trying anyway._

_ Mugen watched, despite Koza trying to tug him away from the edge. He watched, fascinated, as the man flailed each time a wave overcame him. It was hopeless. He would never catch up to the ship, yet he continued to swim for it. Why bother exhausting yourself trying to attain an impossible goal like that?_

_ Another wave crashed over the man, swallowing him whole. Mugen waited for his head to reappear but it never did. Of all the ways to die, drowning seemed like the most agonizing, yet fitting, end for a pirate._

Mugen gasped when the water hit him and he shot up sputtering, Genji laughing at his reaction as he opened his cell door.

"Too cold, princess?"

He narrowed his good eye in hate; the other, he found, was swollen shut. His heart was hammering in his chest, but it would be a cold day in Hell before he admitted it was a dream that did it.

"Boss wants you good and healthy for your next match." Genji slid a tray of food his way, not bothering to take into account all the grooves on the ground. The dishes danced and spilled before coming to a halt in the middle of the cell. "So eat up." He slammed the door and locked it with a flourish before heading back the way he came.

"So does that mean the matches for tonight are cancelled?"

"I'm not sure."

"Boss must be pissed."

"It's the guards' fault for putting him in such a state before a match."

"Well, to be fair sis, he _did_ try to escape."

Mugen sighed heavily and dragged his tray of food closer. "I can hear you."

The siblings turned to face him as if just realizing his presence. Hone sat with Kumo in his cell, snacking on a shared bowl of brown rice.

"Good evening, Dokuro-san." Hone greeted warmly. "How are you feeling?"

"That a serious question?"

"I'd treat your wounds if only I were allowed into your cell."

He arched a brow.

"Our father was a doctor." Kumo supplied. "Sis would help him out sometimes."

That wasn't what Mugen was asking, but he wasn't really in the mood for a conversation. He drained his glass of water and moved onto the dried fish, dropping a few into his miso broth.

"You're on probation." A bowl of rice was shoved into his face and he looked up curiously at the owner of the hand, bandages covering both forearms. "You're not allowed out of your cell until your next match…and that could be a while, depending on how fast your wounds heal." Hone informed him, still offering him her rice. "What you really need is iron, you look pale. I imagine you lost a lot of blood in your match last night." She gnawed pensively on the end of her chopsticks, trying to diagnose him. "They should be giving you red meat, at least. But if wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

"_What?_" Mugen swatted her hand out his face, refusing the bowl of rice.

"It's fiber." She insisted.

"Sis, he doesn't want it!" Kumo exclaimed, reaching for the bowl that seemed to be eternally just out of reach.

"Just take it."

Mugen turned his back her way and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Such pride." It wasn't a compliment. "Are you really so stubborn?"

He ignored her in favor of his other neighbor, Satori. He nodded a greeting the older man's way and received a similar gesture in return. The two men ate in silence, as Mugen believed all meals between men should be had. The less talking your mouth did, the more eating it could do instead.

Footsteps echoed down the cellblock and a few moments later, Neko and Yuki strolled by. The former peered into Mugen's cage and smirked. "Is the two pump chump all tuckered out?"

Yuki's eyes bulged in disgust at the term, but she said nothing as Mugen ignored her friend in favor of munching on the niboshi.

"Well, you should know that now _I_ have to fight in tonight's match." She scoffed, tossing her nose in the air. "Is there anything _else_ I can do for you, _master_?"

He gave her a cursory once-over with through his good eye and shrugged. "With looks like yours, sugar-tits, there's a buncha things you could do for me."

She cocked her brow, prideful look in her eye, while Hone scowled with disgust in the next cell over.

"But that voice." Mugen shuddered. "Ain't even worth it."

"How dare you – ?.!"

He reached for his miso bowl and watched as Neko flinched, ducking behind Yuki. The dish hid his smirk as he brought it to his lips, but he'd made his point quite clearly. Neko disappeared with a puss on her face dragged Yuki along with her, not another word spoken.

"Neko's really got it bad for you, sempai."

Hone rolled her eyes at her brother. "She's a pest. I wish she'd just stay in her cell."

"I don't understand why she's so upset, anyway." Kumo said. "Girls aren't the ones who fight to the death."

Mugen paused momentarily, but said nothing. His jaw was beginning to ache, and he decided eating was more important than talking.

"I would rather fight to the death." Hone snapped. "It's degrading and a disgrace the way our matches are held – men are absolute pigs."

Mugen caught Satori's eye and the old man gave a tiny sigh.

"No one wants to watch women kill each other." He explained. "So their matches are strictly wrestling and grappling."

"And the first one stripped of her clothing is the loser." Hone added, with a heavy huff. "Pigs. All of them."

Mugen turned around to study Hone, visualizing one of her matches in his mind. But she was a champion, after all, so it was possible she had never lost a match – and therefore never been stripped naked.

"If you would like to keep your eyes inside their sockets, I would suggest you stop undressing me with them, you pig." Hone growled, brandishing her chopsticks in a threatening manner.

Forget it. The jinbei was too loose around her body to even begin imagining what it looked like. He turned back around, choosing instead to focus on his food before he passed out again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Believe it or not, there were female gladiators in ancient Rome! I know right: what CAN'T women do? ;) Anyway, I've got a pretty fleshed out back-story for Mugen that I will be using here and there. But only because the particular route I've decided to take for this story is reminiscent of something from Mugen's past (from what we're led to believe from a line in episode 13, at least). You'll see.

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.9: <strong>"It seems your last escape attempt shook him up quite a bit." She lowered her voice. "That must mean you almost made it."


	9. Healing

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm feeling rather dialogue-y today, sorry. Enjoy…? OTL

**Chapter 9: Healing**

* * *

><p><em> "Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu. Do make tomorrow a sunny day, like the sky in a dream sometime. If it's sunny, I'll give you a golden bell."<em>

_ "That's stupid."_

_ Koza startled and nearly fell off the rock she was perched upon. "I'm wishing for good weather, Mugen. I'm sick of all this rain."_

...

_ "Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu. Do make tomorrow a sunny day. If you make my wish come true, we'll drink lots of sweet sake." Fuu sighed, gently dressing his new wound. "Even though sake is what got you into this mess in this first place, you idiot."_

_ "Shaddup, you're the one who ruined my drinking by not tellin' us we ran outta money sooner."_

_..._

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru-bozu. Do make tomorrow a sunny day. But if it's cloudy and I find you crying, then I shall snip your head off."

Mugen's hand grabbed her arm and the humming stopped with a gasp. His eyes shot open when the medicine she had in her hand had clattered to the floor and spilled. Warm brown eyes faded from his memory as his vision cleared, revealing a new pair in its place.

"Are you awake now?" Hone asked him, eyeing her captured wrist.

Mugen released her hand and dropped his arm to the cold stone floor. His fingers were bandaged, his face ached from chill, and his entire torso felt stiff and heavy.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, but you've been out for days." Hone continued, cleaning up the spilled medicine with a tiny frown. "How do you feel?"

"Wa…" He cleared his hoarse throat, barely able to speak above whisper. "Water."

"Of course." Hone had a tiny cup ready and waiting. She first removed the cloth full of ice from his face before cradling his head to bring the rim to his lips. She frowned at how much of the water spilled down from the corners of his mouth, and dabbed it away gently.

"How do you feel?" She asked him again.

Mugen wasn't exactly keen on lying in ladies' laps unless sake was involved, but he was too exhausted to think about what was hidden beneath Hone's jinbei. Even when the white cloth had become see-through on her thighs where he had spilled the water.

Hone seemed privy to his staring and promptly replaced the cloth full of ice to his face. Mugen released a huff against the sudden cold.

"You lost a lot of blood, but you aren't as pale as you were before." She informed him. "Your body is also badly bruised because you fought half in the nude." Her voice seemed to scold him. "I wouldn't be surprised if you had some broken ribs…but you'd be in much more pain sitting up like this if that were the case."

Mugen peered down at himself and noticed he was wearing the same white jinbei everybody else in the cellblock wore. Damn, the bitch got him while he was down.

"You seem to be healing quite nicely, though." Hone smiled softly, catching a glimpse of his chest beneath the jinbei and through the dressings. "Since your body seems quite accustomed to violence already."

Mugen closed his eyes and sighed in place of a yawn.

"That was rude of me." Hone backpedaled, thinking his sigh was for her. "I apologize."

Mugen didn't bother trying to correct her, or to open his eyes again for that matter.

"If you want to sleep, that's alright." She told him. "But you should know it's the middle of the afternoon and lunch will be coming around soon. It's been a few days since you last ate."

Mugen sat up slowly, cloth of ice sliding from his face and splattering on the floor beneath him. Hone kept her hands on him in case he fell back down; but he crossed his legs for balance and hunched forward, clutching his head. He wasn't sure if it was aching from his wounds or from freezing under that pile of ice.

"How do you feel?"

"Maybe I'll answer if ya ask me one more time." He clenched his eyes shut to dissipate the tension he felt behind them.

Hone clamped her mouth shut and averted her eyes in embarrassment.

Mugen couldn't help his half-assed chuckle, dropping his bandaged hands to sit atop his knees. "I've had hangovers worse than this. Just gimme more water."

Hone poured some into the little cup from the large jug and handed it to Mugen. He looked dubious and snatched the jug from her fingers instead. Hone watched him guzzle the jug without a word and sipped politely from the cup herself.

"You're the first patient I've ever treated on my own." Hone admitted, small smile adorning her pink lips.

Mugen wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Banzai…" He noticed the empty cellblock and wondered what happened to his neighbors.

"Oh." She seemed to read his mind. "Boss has given everybody the freedom to roam now…except you, of course."

Mugen narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"It seems your last escape attempt shook him up quite a bit." She lowered her voice. "That must mean you almost made it."

"I _did_ make it." He snapped, insulted that she would imply he had failed in some way. "And I could make it again if I wasn't wearin' this stupid get-up." He gestured at the stark-white jinbei.

"Well, what little you had on before was covered in blood." Hone snapped. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"Clean 'em and give 'em back?"

Hone's eyebrows rose in irritation.

"Who did it, anyways?"

"Did what?" She demanded, huff in her voice.

"Dress me."

"I did, of course." She snapped. "Boss wants you isolated, so I won't be able to visit you like this once you're healed."

"Damn." Mugen scratched the back of his head. "And I wanted to kick someone's ass for stealin' my clothes."

Hone set her jaw. "Is that the thanks I get for taking care of you?"

The pirate shrugged. "I woulda healed on my own."

Hone stuck her nose in the air indignantly. "I'll remember that the next time your eye is swollen shut and your ribs are bruised."

"How many days has it been?" Mugen didn't feel like his ribs were messed up at all.

"Since your fight, it's been 9 days." She noticed Mugen's surprised look. "You weren't sleeping the entire time. Sometimes you would wake up in a daze and try to fight me before going under again."

He gave an amused grunt.

"But you seem almost entirely healed." She continued, touching the bruise on his face gently and moving closer to inspect the gash.

He wasn't going to tell her that he could see down her jinbei top. There wasn't anything to look at, what with her wrappings tied so tight. She was flat as a board. But her bellybutton was small and round, and surrounded by the type of toned muscles that could only belong to someone who trained their ass off. He was beginning to doubt she was _just_ a doctor's daughter. Doctors' daughters would have soft and supple figures, not hard bodies that looked like they could snap a man in half.

"The bruising will take longer to heal, but that's mostly cosmetic. No bones were cracked or broken, as far as I can tell."

From what Mugen could tell, Hone was slow to anger. She was strong enough to hold her own in a fight, being a champion, but her demeanor seemed too gentle to actively seek one out. She didn't fit the usual criminal blueprint, which made him curious as to how she got herself into a place like this.

Her face shifted into one of intrigue as her wandering hands found the three parallel scars on Mugen's cheek. "They look like tiger stripes." She said.

Mugen grabbed her wrists to halt their inspection of his wounds, and she looked into his eyes curiously.

"I'm sorry." She averted her gaze a moment later. "I've gotten ahead of myself again, haven't I?"

"Tell me somethin'."

She waited and looked into his eyes again, too wary to give him a definitive nod.

"What's a girl like you doin' in a place like this?"

"Oh my, is that the best you can come up with?"

Hone and Mugen turned to see Neko leaning against the cell, watching them with a Cheshire grin on her face.

"I should've expected as much from a two-pump chump, though."

Hone scowled. "No visitors. Boss' orders."

"And yet, here _you_ are."

"I'm treating him."

Neko eyed Mugen's hands, which were still holding Hone's, and chuckled. "Treating him to what, exactly?" She licked her lips like a hungry panther.

Hone snatched her hands away and stood up, avoiding eye contact with either fighter. "If you don't need anything else, Dokuro-san, I'll be on my way."

"Whatever." Mugen dismissed, watching Hone make a hasty exit. She glared at Neko as she passed her, but the other girl was unfazed.

"You know…" Neko purred, ignoring Mugen's best efforts to ignore _her_. "Hone is frigid. She only cares about that halfwit brother of hers." She spat. "But if you're looking for some proper 'treatment', why not just ask?"

Mugen turned to give her a long glance. Sure, Neko was pretty; but her voice was irritating and she smelled like other men. Besides, Mugen could only picture her covered in miso broth from the time he threw his bowl at her. He wouldn't be able to take fucking her seriously enough to be worth the effort of even trying.

"I'd offer you to come watch my match for a free sample, but I'm afraid you're on lock down." She gave a dramatic pout. "Maybe I can persuade Boss into letting you out, anyway?"

Mugen shrugged. "Got no interest in yakuza hoes."

Neko's slinky posture jerked ramrod straight. "Consider yourself lucky these bars are here to keep me outta there."

He smirked. "I already do, princess."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sigh. Mugen, don't you know that if you piss off a cat, it'll claw your eyes out? :3 The nursery rhyme in the beginning is just something I found on Wikipedia and thought sounded cute. Mostly because the other two I found were about snow and praying for your kids to live past 7. Sheesh, why are nursery rhymes always so dark?!

**Preview ch.10:** Neko had barely finished furrowing her brow in confusion when Hone jabbed the heel of her palm into her nose, like a viper striking a rat.


	10. Cat Fight

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

**A/N:** Clear the area, people! Make some room! Get out of swing range, because hair can and _will_ be pulled! (But most importantly, enjoy!)

**Chapter 10: Catfight**

* * *

><p>"Are you feeling hungry?" Hone asked, letting her patient's growling stomach answer for him.<p>

Mugen nodded anyway, feeling the pain of hunger resurface after the pain of bruised ribs vanished.

She offered him another glass of water, which he drank greedily. "It's nearly time for the match, so it's good that your appetite is returning." She stood. "I'll go see if the guards will let me bring you food again – you seem malnourished."

He watched her go. She had a key to his cell to allow her access to her patient, and Mugen was still trying to figure out a way to get it from her. He could always take it by force, but then he ran the risk of her exposing his escape to the guards. The last time that happened, he got caught because that Neko skank ratted him out.

Hone didn't seem like a snitch, but Mugen hadn't survived this long automatically assuming the best in people. He needed more time to recuperate his injuries, first and foremost. He could handle Hone, even if she was a grappling champion; but he doubted he'd have the strength to fend off another dog-pile of overweight guards.

* * *

><p>Hone made her way through the winding tunnels to the room where most of the guards spent their day. She knocked on the door politely and waited for someone to get off their ass and answer it.<p>

"Oh." A guard with a piggish nose looked disappointed to see her. "It's just Hone." He opened the door to let her into the smoky room.

Guards lazed about on the floor or on the occasional chair, smoking their pipes or playing cards. Boss had banned drinking during their shift since that had been a possible cause of the newcomer's near escape. Needless to say, it was just one more thing to add to the list of grievances against him.

"I'm looking for Genji." Hone spoke, finding the man when his head turned her way.

"What?" The man replied expectantly, keeping his hand of cards hidden from leering eyes.

"I'll return your key a little later than usual." She told him, lingering near the door – feeling like a lamb in a den of sleeping lions. "I'm bringing more food to Dokuro-san."

Some of the sleeping lions' ears perked up at the mention of the newcomer, and she highly doubted it was out of concern.

"How's my ol' pal doin'?" Genji questioned, crooked smile revealing a chipped tooth. "Can he come out to play anytime soon?"

"He's recovering well enough, considering his injuries." Hone was terse only because she was starting to feel hungry as well.

"Yeah?" Genji chuckled. "Good to know we didn't break my new toy, eh boys?"

A few of the men beside him chuckled and Hone rolled her eyes.

"We're in agreement, then?"

"Whatever." Genji dismissed. "Do what you want. I don't give a shit as long you're back before Neko's match." He smirked lustfully. "I don't want to miss a minute of it."

Her smile betrayed the sickness turning her stomach. "Of course."

She was gone in a flash, seeing no reason to stick around that room any longer than necessary. Only girls like Neko and Yuki dwelled in places like that with men like those.

The kitchen was only a few labyrinthine corridors away from the guard's room. There were no other rooms in this section, which made her wonder if there was a secret exit in the back of the kitchen. Otherwise, the only way to reach these rooms from the outside was to travel from the other side.

Cook was checking on his hefty barrel of steaming rice when Hone greeted him.

"Hone-chan." He smiled. "Aren't you going to Neko's match?"

She shrugged. "I see enough of her on a daily basis to last me two lifetimes. I'll be needing two bowls again today."

Cook eyed her suspiciously as he grabbed a serving tray. "Eating for two?"

Hone grimaced at the thought. "Never."

He laughed at her, pressing spoonfuls of rice into the bowls. "It's always the ones who say never."

Hone pursed her lips, choosing to ignore him lest he ignore her request for food. He brought over the tray of two rice bowls and tossed two pairs of chopsticks her way. Hone caught them effortlessly and nodded her thanks before heading back to the cells. Hopefully, Dokuro-san hadn't fallen asleep again.

She could hear footsteps coming her way and hoped it wasn't anyone who would hassle her for having food.

"Look, Kumo, it's your sister." Neko smirked as they approached, suddenly feeling very clingy.

Hone's eyes widened when she spotted her rounding the corner with her brother in tow. Her heart seized in her chest as their eyes locked and she nearly dropped the tray of food in her hands.

"What are you doing?" Hone was in no mood to play Neko's games, so she addressed her younger brother directly.

Kumo shrugged. "I wanted to watch the fight. Neko invited me while I still have the freedom to leave my cell."

"He's so curious." Neko gushed, mischief in her eye. "But don't worry. This *onee-chan will teach him everything he needs to know."

Hone placed the tray of food on the ground gently and smiled at Neko when she straightened up. Neko had barely finished furrowing her brow in confusion when Hone jabbed the heel of her palm into her nose, like a viper striking a rat.

"Sis!" Kumo exclaimed, gaping at Neko's slumping figure. "She has a fight right now!"

"I didn't break it." Hone snapped at him for being dramatic. She turned to Neko with a dark look. "I hope you recall this pain the next time you think about fucking with _this_ onee-chan."

Neko scowled, eyes teary from the stinging in her nose, and allowed Kumo to assist her down the hallway.

Hone retrieved the tray of food and made her way to Mugen's cell, breathing heavily with adrenaline. Realistically, there wasn't anything Neko could do to Kumo since she was fighting in a match. Kumo would probably see things on Neko that Hone would rather not think about, but no harm would come to him physically. And that's all she could really ask for in a place like this.

She may have overreacted, the more she thought about it.

But that bitch was asking for it.

Hone was no-good with the little mind games girls like Neko played. To her, it was just easier to break a nose to prove your strength than to come up with clever threats.

"Sorry." Hone fished Mugen's cell key from her pocket. "I got a little distracted."

Mugen gave her an incredulous look as she closed the door behind her. "Distracted, my ass."

"Pardon me?" She asked beatifically, handing him a bowl of warm rice. It would have been hotter if she hadn't been interrupted on her way.

"Ain't you one of the ones who first warned me 'bout that bitch?"

"So you saw that." She shrugged indifferently at the amused twinkle in his eye. "Neko is all talk. I may not have responded wisely to her teasing, but at least she knows I see through her tricks."

Mugen shrugged indifferently. "Whatever you say." He paused. "But there ain't nothin' crazier than a woman out for revenge."

"Is that so? You should save your warnings for Neko, then. She needs them more than I do."

He hesitated bringing a bundle of rice to his mouth in order to grin a devilish smirk at her. "You ain't really a doctor's daughter, are you?"

"Why?" She implored. "Are you suggesting we've met before?"

Mugen narrowed his eyes, suspicious now. "Ever been to a cathouse?" It was the only place he could imagine meeting a pretty girl like her.

Hone tilted her head curiously. "Now what sort of business would a doctor's daughter possibly have in a place like that?"

"I dunno." He replied evenly. "But I never met a doctor who liked breakin' bones more than healin' 'em."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Short, but sweet. Well, not really. Personally, I wouldn't consider a broken nose sweet, but to each their own ;) I don't remember where I heard the term "cathouse" (probably the show, or maybe another fic), but it's just another name for a brothel or whorehouse. Also this is the first time we've deviated from Mugen's POV. I don't foresee this happening too often again, but it's only because it was Hone's fight. If it does happen again, it'll most likely be for the same reason – it's somebody else's fight we're seeing.

*onee-chan = sister, which can also be used to address an older girl you're not related to. A little like how you can call your best friends sisters. Or brothers.

**Preview ch.11: **_Neko narrowed her eyes at him hatefully and Mugen held her glare. It was like a stray cat threatening a mongrel. _


	11. Shinigami

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Mugen's back-story will be told through memories, which he mostly dreams so it doesn't get in the way of the ass-kickery. This particular memory gets PRETTY DARK, since it _is_ Mugen's childhood after all. Not exactly sunshine and rainbows. So just be warned, okay? Skip the italics if you don't want to read it.

**Chapter 11: Shinigami**

* * *

><p><em>"Alright, boys." Hayato, the first-mate, clapped his hands and released the metaphorical leash that kept the rowdy youths in order. "You know the drill."<em>

_ The night exploded with stampeding footsteps and loud cries of excitement as they disembarked the ship with Hell in their eyes. The sleepy coastal village woke with fright as their rooftops burned with hot flames. As the people ran, they quickly learned they had stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire. A horde of eager boys with malice in their smiles and lethal weapons in their hands lay in wait. _

_ "Pocket anythin' extra worth sellin'." Mugen muttered to Koza. "We're gonna need money to travel after we escape."_

_ Koza nodded, unable to hide her nerves. This was only their fifth week since the raid on Ryuukyuu that had forced Mugen, Mukuro, and Koza onto the pirate's ship. This was their second raid together, but she already knew she was not cut out for this kind of life._

_ "What are you two whisperin' about?" Mukuro demanded._

_ "Nothing." Koza replied instantly._

_ "I was just tellin' her to grab anythin' extra that we could sell for money once we escape." Mugen explained. _

_ Mukuro's dark eyes narrowed at Koza. "You didn't say anythin' to me about this."_

_ Mugen gave Koza a surprised look as the younger girl squirmed beneath both of their gazes._

_ "Get 'em, boys!" Hayato's command pierced the salty air and the band of pirates-in-training rushed forward with their weapons held high._

_ Mugen watched as Koza shoved her way through the mass of colliding bodies and head straight into the first home she found. It was the same as the last time – she would disappear to ransack homes before anybody else could, and would find her way back to the ship afterwards. She would never fight, and he didn't blame her. Koza was puny, even for a girl. Her size should have been the first hint that she wasn't the boy she pretended to be. That was why they needed to escape before she was discovered._

_ "Mugen!"_

_ He turned to see Mukuro beckoning him, following Hayato into a hut that had miraculously managed to avoid the flames. The clatter of battle faded from his ears as he ran to catch up to his friend, curious as to what Hayato wanted with them._

_ "You're at the age, boys." Hayato explained, kicking down the door of the hut. "Where I shouldn't have to explain the more delicate spoils of war to you."_

_ The two followed him inside the darkened home, eyes wide as they watched him yank a young girl outside by her hair. She shrieked as he dragged her through the sand and tossed her onto the ground. Her mother was dispatched with a quick flick of his sword, keeling over and spilling hot blood onto the sand before she could even cry for mercy._

_ Mugen eyed Mukuro with astonishment in his eyes – he'd always turned a blind eye to this sort of thing on Ryuukyuu – but there was no avoiding it when he had become an unknowing accomplice._

_ "Please let me go." The girl begged._

_ Hayato began to laugh. "Like it's as easy as batting those long lashes at us?"_

_ She turned to Mukuro, bowing her head. "There are prettier girls here I can show you!"_

_ Mukuro shoved her into the sand with his foot._

_ The girl's hand latched onto Mugen's ankle. "Please, sir."_

_ He tore his foot away and turned around to leave, until he spotted a familiar flash of hair. He narrowed his eyes and cursed, frozen in his spot as Koza called his name. She was searching for him, probably to share the goods she'd managed to steal. He could feel Mukuro's heated glare on the back of his neck, and willed Koza to return to raiding houses._

_ "No, please! Stop!" The girl yelped from behind him._

_ "Shut her up, Mukuro!" Hayato warned, voice just loud enough to hear over the tearing of clothes._

_ Koza finally locked eyes with Mugen, smiling and trotting closer. Her gaze settled on the scene behind him, and he could see the gears in her mind turning; Mugen was standing guard for Mukuro's dastardly deed. He watched her face contort with horror and didn't try to stop her when she turned to run._

_ "Now you're hated." He could hear the smirk in Mukuro's voice as the girl beneath him whimpered. "Just like me."_

* * *

><p>Mugen stirred, slowly realizing that he had slept the entire day away again. Dinner was waiting, cold, in the corner of his cell when he finally sat up. His body felt completely healed, but being practically comatose for over a week was beginning to make his mind wander to memories he'd rather leave forgotten.<p>

"Good evening, Dokuro-san." It was Satori, his neighbor on the right, who greeted him. "You missed an eventful day."

"Yeah?" He scoffed, snatching his tray and digging into his bowl of brown rice. "That Neko bitch lose a match?"

"Onibaba* is dead."

He blinked, mind still fuzzy with sleep. "Who?"

"An older fighter." Satori supplied. "She's been here longer than I have."

"Hm." He grunted his condolences and dropped more niboshi into his miso broth. "Never met her."

"She did it by her own hand."

He looked at the bald man through the corner of his eye, thoughts beginning to whirl. "How'd she get a weapon?" And did she have any more hidden away that were currently up for grabs?

"She snatched a tanto off one of the guards and slit her own throat right there in front of him."

The thought of taking one's own life had always boggled Mugen's mind. It seemed like a waste to him – if you had enough energy to kill _yourself_, why not use it against your opponent? If he kills you instead, then at least you went out flipping life the bird, right?

Mugen shook his head and dug into his rice bowl. He was thinking too much lately. All this time spent cooped up was making him pensive and stoic – all he needed was a pair of glasses and a ponytail.

"Goddammit." He was doing it again!

He was in the process of draining his miso broth when he heard a gaggle of voices echo down the cavernous corridor.

"The fight is over early."

Mugen turned to Satori curiously, wondering what fight he was talking about. Was that why everybody else had disappeared?

"Good evening, Dokuro-san." Hone smiled warmly as she and her brother entered his cell.

Kumo gave his greeting with a minimal nod of the head.

"How are you feeling today?"

Mugen rolled his eyes. Didn't she already ask him that about a hundred times yesterday?

"Fine." He replied, stormy orbs catching sight of Neko's bruised nose as she passed his cell. "Fine enough to start fightin' again."

Neko narrowed her eyes at him hatefully and Mugen held her glare. It was like a stray cat threatening a mongrel. Sure, the cat would put up one helluva fight and would undoubtedly draw blood from the dog. But eventually the swift feline would tire, and the mutt would be there ready for round two. By that time, the dog's appetite would have doubled and its patience would have halved; sealing the cat's fate. It was just nature.

Hone raised her brows in mild surprise at Mugen. "I can see that."

Mugen couldn't resist his automatic smirk. Something about the way Hone failed to sugarcoat her disgust with him made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"I thought you wanted to escape this place."

"No reason why I should be bored in the meantime." He snapped.

"I'm not quite sure what that means." She stated slowly. "But if it involves Neko, I'm certain it's a bad idea."

Kumo chuckled in agreement. "You wouldn't have been bored watching tonight's fighter." He eyed his sister's slight scowl and deemed it safe enough to continue. "You shoulda seen her! She's undefeated. The only other one to go undefeated is Sis, so she's a little upset right now."

"I am not." She snapped. "Quit putting words in my mouth! I'm glad for her – it's not easy to keep your focus when the entire arena is catcalling you."

Mugen cocked a brow. So his original diagnosis of the toned woman was correct – Hone had never been stripped down during any of her matches. Though his body was beginning to grow antsy the more time he spent here, his instincts were still spot-on.

"Where's the new chick?" He wanted to know.

Kumo and Hone looked around the cellblock and shrugged.

"Beats me." Kumo replied. "But they named her Shinigami, because defeat was swift and imminent."

"Quit quoting Announcer." Hone rubbed her temples and stood up. "I feel a headache coming. Please excuse me." She bowed to Mugen, which elicited an arched brow of confusion from the pirate. "Goodnight."

"What's her deal?"

Kumo shrugged and sprawled his gangly limbs on the floor. Now that his sister was gone, he finally had enough room to stretch out.

"New Girl is after Sis's title." He supplied. "She was never good with competition. Even when we were kids, she refused to lose." He sighed heavily. "Sometimes I think she was born in the wrong gender."

Mugen frowned in thought. "With her body, who could tell the difference?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Not a whole lot going on here, other than the arrival of a new fighter, which will turn out to be pretty damn important, mind you! I also have a whole history for Mugen, but you'll really only be seeing bits & pieces of it here & there through his memories and dreams. And speaking of, most of it will be his Ryuukyuu-life rather than his time spent on the journey with Fuu & Jin since we all already know all there is to know about _that_ journey. Plus, it's always a lot of fun to speculate on the horror that was Mugen's childhood! (Or maybe that's just me...?) O.O Eep, secret's out! See you in chapter 12! (Fighting starts again next chapter, check the teaser for teaser-y goodness)

*Onibaba: an old lady that eats humans or unborn babies; "oni" is demon and "baba" is hag, so I guess you could call her a witch – y'know, the traditional scary kind that your parents used to threaten you with when you didn't behave ;)

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.12: <strong>

_ The student drew the two sai from his obi and walked to meet Mugen in the center of the arena._

_ "Class get out early today, kid?"_

_ "Mock me all you want." He growled. "We'll see who laughs last when I carve a permanent smile into your corpse."_

_ Mugen smirked._


	12. Pufferfish

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** A double chapter day because why not? Last chapter was pretty quiet and let's face it, these kinds of chapters are way more fun anyway. Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: **Pufferfish

* * *

><p>"Rise and shine, prin – oh."<p>

Mugen was awake and waiting for Genji and his bucket of ice water today. He didn't think he'd ever seen such an honest expression of disappointment on a man's face before.

"I'm fightin'?"

His neighbors seemed to turn his way, listening while pretending not to.

"Yeah." Genji replied. "After your meal." He unlocked the cell door and tossed the tray inside. The miso broth spilled onto the cold floor and the niboshi dish sent the tiny dried fish flying. "Oopsies." Genji chuckled and slammed the door shut again, whistling an upbeat tune as he walked away.

"What an asshole." Kumo grumbled.

"Fuck it." Mugen shrugged and stood, touching his palms to the floor to stretch his eager muscles. "I ain't hungry." He placed his hands on his hips and bent backwards as far as he could go.

"Don't come upright too quick –"

Mugen stumbled forward and Hone sighed.

"I warned you!"

"Shaddup." He plopped down on his ass and clenched his fists. "Stood up too fast, is all."

"I just said that." Hone snapped, standing up to berate him from her brother's cell. "I don't think you're ready to fight just yet."

Mugen turned his slumping head to glare at her. "Get off my back."

"You've been stationary for so long." She explained. "You can't just hop up and run around like that."

"Watch me."

Kumo grinned. "We'll be watching your match! Your gimmick is brutal!" He sliced his hand across his neck to mimic decapitation.

"Oh, yes." Neko's voice preceded her approach, with Yuki and an unfamiliar face in tow. "Hopefully, you'll last more than a few minutes this time, Two-Pump."

Yuki smiled at him as they passed. "Good luck today, Dokuro-san. We'll be watching."

The final one must have been the new girl, since she was not wearing the uniform white jinbei. Her hair was up in a high ponytail with bangs that framed her pretty face. She stared at Mugen with wonder in her eyes and he gave her a grin for the hell of it.

"You gonna watch me too, sweetheart?"

She smiled at the sentiment and winked. "Sure. I think you're strong enough."

Mugen watched her go, a sudden bolt of recognition striking him when he laid eyes on the curve of her ass.

"I know that chick." He muttered, raking his mind to find a match. She must have been from a brothel, but that didn't make sense. There was no way someone who could fight could wind up in a cathouse.

"Good luck convincing him not to fight _now_, Sis." Kumo sniggered at Mugen's concentrated leering.

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!" Announcer boomed. "Please, take your seats! The show is about to begin!"<p>

Mugen's stomach growled as he waited behind the doors to the arena. Four guards accompanied him – apparently Boss was taking no chances with this wild card fighter.

"Tonight is the miraculous return of Gashadokuro!" Announcer continued, voice muddled through the doors.

"You're gonna croak."

"Kiss my ass, fatboy." Mugen spat at Genji, sword securely strapped across his chest where it belonged.

"But has this return from the dead slowed Gashadokuro to a corpse's pace?" Announcer demanded of the booing crowd. "Or has it granted him the supernatural strength of a demon?.!" The crowd roared in excitement.

"Boss spent days personally looking for someone to fight you." Genji chuckled. "He wants you dead."

"Tell 'em to get in line."

"Ladies and gentlemen, your returning champion!" Announcer sent out the cue and two guards pushed the doors open for Mugen. "Gashadokuro!"

He walked into the ring and scanned the sea of people. He was interested in only one – Boss. His fat face stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of his private box seat, women hanging off his arms and resting their heads in his lap. Beneath his booth sat the other fighters, flanked on either side by guards. Mugen drew his sword and pointed it Boss' way, eyes igniting with hatred.

The audience fell silent.

"What is this?.!" Announcer crowed, trying to hide his nerves. "Gashadokuro is declaring victory without having met his opponent!"

Boss laughed as he brought his thumb across his neck, sealing Mugen's fate.

"Let us not keep our champion any longer!" Announcer eyed the opposing doors and willed them open. "Let's meet Gashadokuro's opponent!"

The doors split apart and a lone figure traipsed out, tall and muscular beneath the worn karategi* he wore. Mugen would know the smug look on his face anyplace – a freshly graduated student. He'd seen them a million times before. Kids who completed their training and wanted to prove their strength to make a name for themselves. He gave Boss a skeptical look, which was succinctly ignored.

The spectators quieted down as they began to mutter amongst themselves – "That can't really be a student, right?" – and Announcer began to sense that he was losing them.

"Fighters, meet!" He commanded.

The student drew the two sai* from his obi* and walked to meet Mugen in the center of the arena.

"Class get out early today, kid?"

"Mock me all you want." He growled. "We'll see who laughs last when I carve a permanent smile into your corpse."

Mugen smirked.

"Begin!"

The student spun the sai around and forced the blunt ends of the handle into Mugen's chest, shoving him backwards. Mugen stumbled, but caught his footing easily. It wasn't that the force of the blow had hurt him, it was the speed of the kid's hands that had surprised him.

"And Gashadokuro is sent back a few steps by his opponent's lightning quick hands!"

"All my opponents have that same look on their face." The kid chuckled. "You underestimated me because I am young, but I will show no mercy!"

"No mercy, huh?" Mugen rubbed the two sore spots where the handles struck him. "It helps to use the pointy end."

"I was testing the waters and you failed!" The student charged forward, sai turned the proper way.

Mugen brought his sword down in a swift slash, but the blade was parried with one of the sai's prongs. The kid thrust the other sai at Mugen's chest, and the pirate quickly turned profile to avoid being impaled. He leapt back, breaking the sai's grip on his blade with a sharp whine of metal.

"And here I thought I'd get bored." The pirate's jinbei flapped open where the sai had grazed him, tiny crimson droplets bubbling through the slice in his flesh. Mugen rubbed it clean – barely enough to stain the fabric, but it did sting like a bitch.

"The Boss wants to make sure you're eliminated tonight." The student twirled his sai. "So I took some extra precautions." He went to lick his blade, but stopped mere centimeters away with a pointed look.

Mugen furrowed his brow as the stinging in his chest mutated into a hot burning sensation. He didn't need to think very hard to understand what the kid was talking about.

"Even if none of my strikes hit anything vital, you will still die." He smirked. "Ever eat fugu*?"

Mugen narrowed his eyes, irritated with how chatty this kid was getting. He rushed forward to shut him up, leaping into the air to get more force out of his swing. If he could get him to drop the sai, the fight would be over.

"It's a delicacy!" The kid caught his blade again to the amazement of the audience, who released a collective gasp. "Otherwise known as…" The kid was speaking through gnashed teeth, struggling to match Mugen's natural strength. "Puffer fish!" He snaked a hand from under Mugen's blade and slashed broadly, slicing him deeper than the last one since he was so close.

"And Gashadokuro receives another slash from his opponent!" Announcer cried. "I think it's safe to say that his trip to the grave did _not_ grant him any sort of supernatural powers, folks!"

Mugen hissed in pain as the cut revealed itself – diagonal against the first one, so they crisscrossed.

"Shit." He could feel heat diving deeper into his chest and snarled, ripping the top of his jinbei off completely. It exploded into the air and he ignored the fanatical spectators who reached out to catch the souvenir.

"Foolish." The student remarked. "Why discard what little protection you have? Do you want to die as painfully as possible?"

"Fuck that noise!" He barked, startling the ambient audience. "You got your target!" He pointed where the "X" on his chest intersected each other – his heart. "Come at me with all ya got!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I cannot tell you how badly I wanted Mugen to say "Stick 'em with the pointy end!" just for all the Game of Thrones fans that may be reading! Also the thing about Mugen pointing his weapon at Boss came from a historical movie I watched, but I can't remember which one! Something is making me think it's _Gladiator_ with Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, but I don't think that's quite right. But anyway, in that movie, the fighter holds their weapon up in the air or at the "boss" and that for some reason means that they are confidently declaring victory; but in this case Mugen wasn't doing that – he was genuinely threatening Boss, but Announcer spun it differently for the crowd to save face. It's gonna bug the crap out of me that I can't remember what this is from – Game of Thrones again? Hmm… But anyway, onward to the asterisk explanations! And in the meantime I shall ruminate obsessively!

*karategi: you've seen these a gazillion times before; it's the white uniform worn by martial arts students usually just called "gi"; karate students in this case (judo kids would wear judogi and I had NO IDEA it worked like this…then again, I never got beyond my yellow belt when I was, like, 10 -_-)

*sai: you know what sai are! Elektra from the Daredevil comics uses them, though this kid's probably weren't as fancy; and fun fact, sai AREN'T actually pointed! They're blunt/rounded at the tip, which I imagine would only make getting stabbed with one hurt even WORSE! But for the sake of making the fight more interesting, let's pretend the student's sais are at least sharpened at the edges or something, okay?

*obi: the belt of the gi

*fugu: a type of Puffer fish that is a delicacy in Japan; it was actually banned during the Tokugawa [Edo] Period but we can fudge things if you promise not to tell ;) Fun Fact: Puffer fish is considered the most poisonous animal ever, but apparently if you raise fugu properly and only eat certain parts of it, it's not so poisonous. You actually have to have a license from the government to even serve it to people! Go figure, but the more you know, right?

**Preview ch.13: **_The stadium fell dead silent, suddenly realizing they could very well be witnessing their champion's very last battle._


	13. A Declaration

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

**A/N:** The conclusion of Mugen's fight. I STILL cannot remember which movie that victory thing in the last chapter is from! Argh! Enjoy this anyway!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: <strong>A Declaration

* * *

><p>"Come at me with all ya got!" Mugen spread his arms wide in challenge and sheathed his sword.<p>

"Ladies and gentleman, I do not believe my eyes!" Announcer's voice bellowed with scandal. "After witnessing his opponent's impressive striking speed firsthand, Gashadokuro has put away his sword! What sort of ingenious plan has our champion concocted?"

"You want more?" The student growled, bringing both sai into a striking position. His eyes darted through the mesmerized crowd before charging. "Fine!"

Sai were weapons designed for short jabs and parries. Any master Mugen had ever faced had quick hands, as was the point of wielding such a weapon. The masters realized that there was very little footwork needed to fight with sai, so a few made sure to strengthen that major weakness.

However, this kid was still young. Too young to have been in many fights outside of sparring with other sai-users. Therefore, he probably had no idea how vulnerable his legs were when his arms were slashing in the air.

Mugen inhaled deeply as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, palms at the ready for his opponent. When the student jabbed, Mugen ducked and grabbed his arm over his shoulder. He dragged the kid forward and flipped him over his back, slamming him onto the ground.

"Unbelievable, ladies and gentlemen!" Announcer crooned. "I believe my ears are ringing! Just in time for Gashadokuro to deliver the final blow!"

Mugen reached down and twisted the kid's arm until that hand dropped its weapon.

"You can tell the Boss –" He sensed the other incoming sai and made the mistake of ducking his head to avoid it. The kid struck, quick as Mugen knew he was, and managed to catch the pirate in a headlock.

Mugen could feel his opponent's next move even before the kid executed it – that was the bittersweet beauty of experience, he supposed. The blunt tip of his remaining sai plunged into the back of Mugen's ribcage, twisting it just because he could. Adrenaline gave the pirate the raw strength he needed to break the hold and stumble away.

The stadium fell dead silent, suddenly realizing they could very well be witnessing their champion's very last battle.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Announcer's tone was subdued compared to his usual boom. "I believe we may crown a new champion tonight."

Mugen fell over onto his ass, but that was the least of his concerns. Would he bleed out if he pulled this fucking thing out of him? If he left it in, would the poison burn even more of his flesh away?

He could feel his heart throbbing so hard, it threatened to burst right out of his chest. The sai was white-hot and only spreading its heat farther into his body the longer he sat around doing nothing about it. So the only logical solution to that problem was to do something, right?

Mugen took a deep breath and reached behind himself to grip the handle, as his opponent descended.

"Sorry, I misplaced my weapon." The student's voice was oddly jovial. "Thanks for finding it." He placed a foot on Mugen's head and kicked him down, grabbing the sai's handle and ripping it out from underneath the pirate's ribcage.

"FUCK!" Mugen snarled in pain, vision blurring for a moment before exploding with stars.

The student laughed as Mugen struggled to sit up again, clutching the open wound as blood began to flow. He had no other choice than to plug it with his own finger.

"Now I just have to decide how you should die." He pressed the bloodied sai-tip to his chin in thought, smearing his skin like war paint. "I'd prefer to just let the poison take you, but I _did_ promise to carve out a smile for you." He looked up at Boss, who was grinning like the devil. "I don't think my employer cares, just so long as you're dead." He flipped the clean sai around in his hand, pointing the tip Mugen's way. "Your gimmick is decapitation, right? How's about we see how many times I'd have to hack away with my sai?"

The student's hands were swift as they descended, but Mugen's experienced hands were even quicker. He snatched the strap of his sheath and flipped it around to block the sai's strike. His blade was drawn in the blink of an eye and the pirate was seeing red, lopping off his opponent's arm just before the elbow.

"Oh, my God!" Announcer sounded genuinely astounded at the sudden flash of action, but quickly remembered himself. "The King of Comebacks, ladies and gentlemen! Gashadokuro just doesn't know when to quit!"

The student howled in horror and collapsed onto the ground to retrieve his fallen hand. Mugen fought to get to his feet and hobbled over to where his opponent hastily backtracked. His muscles were sore and aching, making his limbs feel heavy and numb.

"How are you still moving?.!" The kid demanded. "Puffer fish causes paralysis and asphyxiation in minutes! You shouldn't be alive right now!"

"Whatta joke." Mugen smirked as his head spun, helpless against the chuckles that overcame him. "I've had better highs from shit I find in the forest."

The student panicked at Mugen's proximity and threw his remaining sai in a last attempt to save himself. Mugen deflected the projectile with a wide slash that struck the student's torso, ripping his obi and forcing his karategi open. Stashed under the hem of his pants was a sheathed tanto, which he gripped with his remaining hand.

"You're a persistent little bastard, I'll give ya that."

"I'll kill you!" He threw the smaller blade's sheath to the ground.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the fighters have just entered into a duel!" Announcer bellowed. "But how will our opponent's tiny tanto hold up against our champion's bloodthirsty blade?"

The student charged forward with a warrior's cry and Mugen quickly silenced him. His blade couldn't slice through the lacquered wood of the tanto, but he did manage to swat it out of his hand like a baseball bat. It clattered to the ground and the student collapsed onto the ground, sobbing.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" He snapped. "You shouldn't be standing!"

Mugen forced his chin up with the broad side of his sword. "You lose."

"But I was supposed to kill you – _you_ should be the one to die!"

"Shaddup, ya little bitch." He snapped, lifting his blade. "Yer pissin' me off."

"Ladies and gentlemen, my ears are ringing!"

Mugen swung with the finality of a guillotine.

"Gashadokuro, adding another skull to his collection! Your champion tonight!"

His stormy orbs located Boss in his private booth, lifting his bloodied blade parallel with his line of sight. Boss' eyes narrowed in irritation, grudgingly accepting the pirate's declaration of war.

* * *

><p>Mugen lay on his thin futon, unable to move his body as his muscles tingled and ached simultaneously. The stab wound in his back was throbbing and his lungs struggled to take in air. His head was in Hone's lap, who barked orders at Kumo to follow precisely.<p>

"We need to make him vomit to get the toxins out of his body!"

"He didn't eat anything before the fight." Kumo replied. "What the hell is he supposed to throw up?"

Hone growled at Mugen. "You idiot!" She lowered her mouth onto his and breathed life back into his lungs. The air flowed back out through his lips a moment later, which was the precise moment Mugen realized that he was paralyzed.

As hard as he fought, he couldn't overcome his own body. Not even his pinky finger would respond to his commands. The muscles in his eyes still seemed to work, which allowed him to see the crowd gathering outside of his cell. He wanted to glare at them all, but discovered that even squinting his eyelids required more effort than he could afford.

"You cocky moron." Hone snapped, pushing air into his lungs again.

Her brother worked on figuring out a way to pump his stomach of what little contents it contained.

"I _told_ you to eat something before your match!" She exclaimed, like she knew he would get poisoned and need to throw it all up later on.

Hone's brow was wrinkled with worry as she watched her brother roll Mugen's torso around, like the ex-pirate would get motion sickness.

"Don't close your eyes!" She commanded, slapping his cheek and blowing more air into his lungs to keep him breathing. "Stay with us! You're the only one who can get us all out of here!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** And that's how Mugen dies. Just kidding! Or am I…? But seriously, just don't eat Puffer fish – if it isn't prepared by somebody who is actually licensed by the government to prepare it for consumption, you will probably die. And yes, eating Puffer fish and living to tell the tale is now on my bucket-list. Thank you for asking.

And since I suck at updating in a timely fashion, it goes without saying that this will never be a weekly chapter type of story. But I think I can manage a monthly update; it's the very least I can do for you loyal folks still reading this thing! So that's my new goal. At least one chapter a month. See y'all next time!

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.14:<strong> _Ignoring the throbbing in his back to focus on the throbbing in his front, Mugen grabbed the girl's arm and rolled her underneath him._


	14. Succubus

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So, some-fucking-how, Mugen has lived to tell the tale of the day he was almost killed by a fish. But let's get real, you're mostly concerned about last chapter's preview, aren't you? I mean, I can admit it was kinda cruel of me – and that's not even mentioning this chapter's title :X Honestly, I don't think this chapter requires a warning, but I haven't decided yet if there will be any future scenes that will require them. Most likely, yes there will be, since I'm totally pro-smut (like you couldn't tell from my other SamCham oneshots?) and old habits die hard. But anyway, there's your warning, I guess. Not really needed, but covering my ass anyway. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: <strong>Succubus

* * *

><p><em>"Koza, what the hell are you doin' out here?"<em>

_ Koza wrapped her arms tighter around herself and took a few steps away from Mugen. It was the middle of the night and the girl was leaning over the side of the ship. He'd ventured out of the cavernous cabin he shared with the rest of the crew to relieve himself, but that was the last thing on his mind now._

_ "Stay away from me."_

_ He hesitated before setting his jaw and trudging forward. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him, brow furrowed in annoyance. She quickly tore herself away from him and stared out at the reflection of the night sky on the calm ocean._

_ "What is your problem lately?" He demanded._

_ Koza pursed her lips. "You ruined everything."_

_ "What the hell does that mean?"_

_ "Now Mukuro knows we were trying to escape without him!" Her eyes flashed with anger._

_ Mugen's stormy gray eyes widened when he saw the cut in the corner of her lip, the purpling bruise on the apple of her cheek. "You mean you didn't tell him on purpose?" He touched her chin gently and turned her face to get a better look. "And this is what he did when he figured it out, ain't it?"_

_ She averted her gaze._

_ "Koza, you can't pull this kinda crap anymore." He sighed. "We ain't kids anymore. We are all in deep shit here, these guys are fuckin' __pirates__ for cryin' out loud! They'll kill us all if they get suspicious of even one of us!"_

_ "Why do you think I want to leave so badly?" She snapped. "I have the most to lose out of all of you! What the hell do you think they'll do to me if they ever find out I'm a girl?.!"_

_ Mugen felt a heavy pit form in his stomach as he recalled how easy it was for Hayato to reap the "finer spoils of war." And how little persuading Mukuro needed in order partake._

_ "You're the only one who can protect me." Koza wrapped her arms around Mugen and hugged him tightly._

_ Mugen froze and struggled to figure out what to do with his hands. He decided to place one on top of her head in a reassuring pat._

_ "Your brother'll protect you, too." He said. "The both of us won't ever let anythin' bad happen to you. So don't worry."_

_ Koza chuckled, though there was no mirth in her eyes. "You still believe he's my brother?"_

_ Mugen arched a brow at her._

_ "Mukuro killed my mother when I was little – she wasn't __our__ mother."_

_ "I didn't know." He breathed._

_ "That's why I can't travel with him anymore, Mugen! He repulses me!"_

_ "Hey!" He snapped. "That's Mukuro you're talkin' about! He's rescued you almost as much as I have!"_

_ She shook her head negatively, dismissing the thought. "How long do you think we can all stay here?" She demanded. "My chest is only getting bigger, Mugen! All it takes is one glance or one unguarded crack in the wall to blow my secret!"_

_ "Alright, alright!" He shook her off of him, suddenly acutely aware of the growing chest pressed against him. "We'll figure somethin' out."_

_ "Let's leave tonight."_

_ "Are you nuts?"_

_ "Let's just go!" She cried. "We can take a lifeboat and head back the way we came!"_

_ "To where? The village we just raided?" He snapped, patience finally wearing out. "Use your head for once in your life, Koza! Goddammit!"_

_ Koza swallowed the lump in her throat. "You're the only one who can get us out of here, Mugen."_

_ He sighed, feeling bad for losing his temper. "I know. I'll figure somethin' out. Just trust me, okay? I won't let ya down."_

* * *

><p>Mugen opened his eyes slowly when the rustling of clothes and scent of perfume stirred him from sleep. His vision adjusted gradually to the darkness, and he could hear breathing. It was much too close to be one of his neighbors, so someone must have been inside the cell with him.<p>

"Shh, Dokuro-san." The soft whisper said. "It's me, Hone-chan."

Hone-chan? Wasn't -chan a little too cute for the undefeated grappler? He sniffed the air again. And since when did she have perfume?

"Are you awake, Dokuro-san?"

Mugen said nothing as he watched the unidentified silhouette shuffle deeper into his cell. How did she even get the door open without waking the entire cellblock with its creaking?

"Dokuro-san?"

She couldn't see his face, which only made sense since he couldn't see hers, either.

"Breathing." She sat down beside him and rested her palm on his torso. "You're still alive. Good."

Why did she sound so surprised?

"But did the toxin paralyze you in the end?" She pressed her ear against his chest to listen to his heart, and he stared at her ponytail. "That's too bad, I really need you."

He cocked a brow in intrigue – he could fill any need she had, at any time she wanted!

"Let's take a look at what we're working with, first."

He could hear the giggle in her whisper and lifted his head slightly, stifling the hiss of pain from disturbing his stab wound.

Her fingers were gentle as she untied the knot holding his jinbei top together. He couldn't help the shiver that danced across his skin when she delicately pulled it apart. She took in the fresh crisscross carved into his chest and felt around his sides for more bandages.

"Bingo." She located his stab wound and he tried his damndest not to flinch.

Just who the hell was this chick and didn't she realize what her roaming hands were doing to him?

"What am I going to do without you?" She questioned. "The second I saw you, I knew that fate had brought us together for a reason."

That was basically a declaration of love, wasn't it?

Eh, it was good enough for him.

Ignoring the throbbing in his back to focus on the throbbing in his front, Mugen grabbed the girl's arm and rolled her underneath him.

"You're supposed to be paralyzed!" She cried.

"Shh, unless ya _want_ an audience?" He purred in her ear, nipping her neck gently.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, smacking her fists against anything she could hit. "You're injured!"

"Nah, I'm good to go, baby." He assured, pulling back to hastily untie her jinbei. "Goddamn darkness – I can't see a fuckin' thing!" His hands began to wander and he smirked. "But feelin' ain't so bad."

The girl slapped him and quickly scurried out from under him when he toppled over. Mugen stood, seeing only silhouettes and grabbed her hand as she was retying her jinbei.

"C'mon, baby. Don't be shy." He reeled her in and grabbed her ass when he kissed her. Feeling wasn't the same as seeing, however; and he failed to recognize which girl she was.

She returned the kiss eagerly, caressing his face before turning away abruptly. "I can't." She whispered. "Not right now. I'm sorry."

Well, that ruled out Neko, at least.

* * *

><p>"Dokuro-san, how are you feeling this –?"<p>

He glared at Hone when she entered his cell the next morning. Even if she was bringing him breakfast, he was still moping over his rejection last night.

"Like you care." He grumbled.

She quickly placed down the tray to inspect him. "You look terrible – was the pain too much to sleep with?"

He set his jaw at her phrasing. "Don't play innocent, girly. You know damn well why I couldn't sleep last night."

"I put as much salve as I could on it." She insisted. "I'm sorry."

"That ain't it." He snapped, holding his hand out for her. "Gimme your ass."

Satori startled awake at the loud slap, while Kumo barely stirred at the sound of Mugen's pained yowl.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So that scene barely registers on the citrus scale and now I feel stupid for that half-assed warning in the beginning. Sorry for getting your hopes up, but I'll probably make up for it in a later chapter ;P But of course it wouldn't be a true Samurai Champloo fic without a few rejections first, right? And before any of you ask: YES. Mugen can REALLY recognize a girl by her ass. I'm making it so because everybody needs a gift, and this shall be his. Just imagine the hijinks!

**Preview ch. 15:** _When one reached to slap the first shackle around his neck, Mugen simply head-butted him and snatched the chains to use like knuckle-dusters. Not really his style, but it would make it easier to break the rest of Genji's teeth._


	15. Booty

**No Holds Barred**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

**A/N:** Eek! I totally forgot about my chapter-a-month promise! Let's skip the excuses (blah blah New Years blah blah) and get right back to it! Okay, so after being cooped up for…weeks, can you really blame Mugen for being so antsy? He's like a starved prisoner who's had a taste of something sweet and is now craving dessert 24/7. Oh boy, I can't believe how well that metaphor works! All right, enough. Enjoy!

**Chapter 15: **The Booty

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><p>"Psst."<p>

Satori turned expectantly.

"Oi, old man." Mugen grunted, peering around with shifty eyes. "Did ya hear anythin' last night?"

Satori gave him a flat look and turned back around.

"Hey, baldy!" He snapped. "Tell me what you know!" He reached for the old man through the bars, but he deftly avoided his fingers without turning his head to look. "Which one was it?.! I gotta know!"

"Degenerate!" Satori exclaimed, slapping Mugen's hand with enough force to make him hiss with pain. "Consider your neighbors next time!"

"There ain't gonna _be_ a next time unless you tell me which one it was." Mugen scowled and fanned his throbbing hand, turning to set his glare on the chuckling Kumo. "What are _you_ laughin' at, *cherry-boy?"

Kumo frowned, sitting in his cell with the door open. "I've had _plenty_ of women!"

"You even old enough to get _into_ a whorehouse, kid?"

He balked. "…Yes."

Mugen sighed and fell back onto his thin futon. His slapped hand found the bandages covering the stab wound in his back. The mystery girl's fingers had been so gentle that he was certain they belonged to Hone.

"You really pissed my sister off this morning."

No shit – his jaw _still_ ached. It was just a regular open-palmed slap, something he thought he was immune to by this point in his life. But the undefeated grappler still managed to do some damage.

"What did you do?"

Mugen turned his way disinterestedly and stared at his palm. "Nothin'." He couldn't stop thinking about it. The pirate's fingers craved her booty and wouldn't let his mind rest. There's no way his guess could have been wrong.

"It musta been something." Kumo replied sharply. "Sis just doesn't give up on people unless they do something unforgivable."

His stormy orbs found his and he could sense the concern for his sister's wellbeing within them.

"Did you really think it was smart to insult your only caretaker?" Kumo continued. "Who's gonna treat your wounds now?"

He rolled onto his back again and stared at the stone ceiling. How was he supposed to figure out this chick's identity if he wasn't allowed out of his cell? Just round them all up in a corner and start groping them?

He smirked at the idea.

* * *

><p>Dinner came and went by the hands of Genji rather than Hone, so Mugen supposed he'd pissed the girl off more than he'd thought. She'd made herself scarce to him all day, and he wished she'd quit being such a tightwad. It was just a question – it wasn't like he'd actually touched her, for crying out loud! Her reflexes were too damn sharp to be caught off guard like that.<p>

His stormy orbs watched idly as Genji reappeared before his cell yet again. What caught the pirate's eye wasn't the rotund guard's presence, though – it was the four other guards that flanked him on both sides.

Mugen's muscles surged with electricity despite their exhaustion when Genji inserted the key and slowly unlocked the cell door. He waited, lying in the same sprawled position on his thin futon, as Genji let the other guards enter before him.

His cellblock comrades hushed and watched the men file into the wildling 's cage.

"Get up." Genji commanded Mugen.

Mugen tilted his head, ignoring the way his stab wound began to ache in anticipation of movement. "Where we goin'?"

"To see Boss."

The pirate's eyes flashed with intrigue.

"You're injured." Genji saw through the look. "You can't fight all five of us."

Mugen stood slowly and sensed him take a step back as the other four hesitated in taking a step forward. Five seemed a bit like overkill, but it worked in their advantage. Even Mugen knew he couldn't take on five without the ability to move freely.

But he'd be damned if he didn't give it a shot, anyway.

When one reached to slap the first shackle around his neck, Mugen simply head-butted him and snatched the chains to use like knuckle-dusters. Not really his style, but it would make it easier to break the rest of Genji's teeth.

Two other guards charged forward with batons drawn and Hone finally revealed herself with a sharp cry of outrage.

The entire cellblock froze as she emerged from Shinigami's cell and stomped toward the commotion. The new girl with the ponytail followed her cautiously, watching with a concerned look on her pretty face as Hone raised hell.

"This man is injured!" She exclaimed. "If he reopens his wound, he will bleed to death in minutes."

Mugen scowled at the idea of such a pathetic whimper of a death. But if that was what it took to dispose of these mooks, then he couldn't care less. While one was still distracted, he managed to crack him across the face and send him to join his friend on the floor.

"Stop it!" Hone snapped.

"Stay outta this." Mugen growled. "We're just havin' some fun." Two down, three to go.

"I say we just kill him and tell Boss it was his own fault."

Genji scowled. "No. Boss wants him alive until he can kill him in the ring."

"Guess you're shit outta luck, then." Mugen gloated, wiping a bit of blood off the shackle that struck the second guard. "'Cuz you'll have to kill me to get me there."

"Don't be stupid." Hone sighed with a roll of her eyes.

Mugen turned to tell her to shut her trap, but Genji took a step forward and slammed his fat fist into his gut so hard that it nearly blew the bandage off Mugen's back. The pirate slumped to the floor with a wheeze and could do nothing while the two remaining guards hauled him off.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Oh merciful heavens, I am SO sorry for that terrible pun about pirates and booty, but I could NOT – for the life of me – delete it! I even changed the chapter's original title because of it! orz I'm a monster. Anyway, I wasn't too sure how this chapter would turn out because it starts out pretty lighthearted and closes in the exact opposite atmosphere. Hopefully you guys didn't suffer any mood whiplash XD Sorry if that fight scene left you hanging but I never intended for it to be a full-on battle in the first place. Until that stab heals, Mugen won't be able fight at 100%...which is something Boss has not overlooked.

*cherry-boy: I love this nickname, it's one of my favorites. I first read it in the Gantz manga to describe a boy who's still a virgin, and I've been seeing it here and there ever since.

(Happy New Year! I promise I have my shit together now!)

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.16: <strong>

_"You should cut out his wicked tongue." She offered in a breathy voice._

_ Mugen smirked from the floor. "Cut out my tongue and you'll never know how wicked it can really be." _


	16. This Kid's Not Alright

**No Holds Barred**

**Summary:** Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

**A/N:** Last chapter ended pretty ominously so let's just get to it. Language warning here – not just cursing, but dirty implications, too. And violence. The scary kind. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: <strong>This Kid's Not Alright

* * *

><p>"Just dump him anywhere."<p>

Mugen was dropped like a sack of potatoes and tumbled once before finally coming to a stop on the floor in front of Boss. He didn't bother trying to get up since he knew this was just the spot where Boss liked his fighters – right below his feet. Not only did his back hurt from the stab wound, but now his front was also aching from Genji's monstrous fist. No matter which way he curled, he could find no release from pain.

"I wouldn't." Mugen heard Neko purr. "This mongrel is too dangerous. He could be playing possum for all we know."

"Fine." Boss barked. "Chain him to something."

They dragged Mugen away again, cuffing his hands behind his back and then tangling the chain with a second pair around his ankles. He was trapped in that kneeling position – if they wanted to drop him in a lake, he wouldn't be able to swim to freedom.

"Now, then." Boss began. "Mugen, isn't it?"

The pirate stared forward, silent as a monk.

"Don't be scared, boy." Boss chuckled. "Where's all that bravado from the ring?"

"I ain't scared, baldy."

The room fell silent before Boss erupted into a fit of laughter, which was tentatively reciprocated by the others a moment later.

"See? There it is." Boss grinned. "I bet you're wondering what you're doing here, huh?"

"Fuckin' mindreader."

"Oi!" Genji stomped forward and kicked the pirate over. "Watch your mouth!"

Boss did nothing to dispel the foot squishing Mugen's head and Neko smirked, draping herself over him like a mink stole.

"You should cut out his wicked tongue." She offered in a breathy voice.

Mugen smirked from the floor. "Cut out my tongue and you'll never know how wicked it can really be."

Her dark eyes widened in scandalous outrage. "Give me a knife!" Neko demanded. "Nobody pays to hear fighters talk!"

Boss tilted his head in consideration. "You have a point, Neko-chan." He snapped his fingers and Genji sat the pirate upright again. "Perhaps at your next outburst, I'll let Neko-chan here have the honor."

Neko's eyes came alive as she practically begged Mugen to mouth off again.

"I'll cut right to the chase as I see you're a man of very little patience." Boss chuckled. "But I like that about you – makes you unpredictable, intimidating – a real crowd-pleaser."

Mugen's rattled brain kicked into gear at the keyword, speculating all kinds of scenarios about Boss' idea of pleasing a crowd. Kinky as he was, Mugen doubted he would enjoy a single one of them.

"I'd like to make a deal with you."

Mugen's suspicions were at an all-time high now. Nothing good ever came from a sleazebag's smile.

"I'm sure you're aware of the freedom bestowed upon every one of my fighters, except for you. I would be willing to grant you those same freedoms, plus a few other perks, if you would agree to fight for me officially."

Mugen wasn't buying it. When something seemed too good to be true, it typically was.

"Your fights as Gashadokuro have raked in more money than any of the women's fights." Boss explained, highly amused. "Apparently, people have become so bored with tits that they would pay out the ass to see someone lose their head – what a beautiful disaster humanity has become. Especially considering how they eat up that façade you put on during your performance – it really resonates with them."

The pirate stared blankly, clearly lost in all the dramatics of Boss' delivery. "Run that by me one more time."

"You'll be official, no longer a prisoner." He clarified succinctly. "You will fight in the ring every night as my main attraction, and afterwards you'll be free to roam wherever your heart desires."

"Everywhere but up, I bet." Mugen surmised. "Where the real freedom's at."

Boss scowled, clearly displeased with the pirate's lack of enthusiasm at his generous offer.

"Y'see, ya can't go 'round offerin' some half-assed, fake-ass freedom to someone who had the real deal before." It was Mugen's turn to chuckle. "*You can put lipstick on a donkey all ya want, but at the end of the day it's still a donkey."

Neko scoffed. "Idiot. It's more than you deserve."

"Do you refuse?" Boss questioned. "I won't offer it again – you will no longer be a prisoner."

"Trade in the prison uniform for a dancin' monkey uniform?" He scoffed. "Nah, I'll pass."

"You ungrateful bastard!" Neko exclaimed, ripping the tanto from a guard's belt. "I should just kill you right here!"

Boss grabbed her wrist and wrestled the blade from her hand, tossing it across the room and shoving her away just as flippantly. He took a few steps forward and kneeled before Mugen, grabbing his chin and glaring deeply into his defiant gaze.

"You should understand that whether you accept or refuse, you will still be making me more money than you will ever see in your entire existence on this earth." He growled. "This was just my attempt to get you with the program; but since you refused, you will continue to fight for me like a slave until the day you die. Whether in the ring, by your own hand, or from old age is up to Fate. The one thing that is certain, though – you will never see sunlight again." He smirked. "I promise you that." He paused at Mugen's silence. "What, that attitude really _is_ just an act? How disappointing. I was really looking forward to seeing that look again – that bloodlust you gave me when you threatened me with your sword last fight."

"Don't worry, baldy. You won't be missin' it for much longer." He smirked. "I promise ya that."

"You think you're tough?" Boss questioned without a drop of curiosity. He stood and kicked Mugen in the side where he'd been stabbed, laughing as he arched back for another strike.

Mugen howled in agony and rolled to avoid another kick.

"You think you're tough?!" Boss demanded again, rolling the pirate back into position. He swung his foot again and the pirate coughed up blood. "I will break you! And then I will kill you!"

Neko rushed to Boss' side and pressed her lips against his, grabbing his arm to turn him away from the dying fighter. She dragged him deeper into the room while Genji unlocked Mugen's shackles. The pirate was gasping for air like he'd been sinking underwater, and struggled to stand.

Genji caught him when he stumbled and grudgingly guided the prisoner back to his cell. "You shoulda kept your damn mouth shut, fuckin' moron."

Mugen couldn't help but laugh, even though it felt like his lungs might collapse if he did. What a day to piss off the only person around who could heal him. Then again, he supposed it would take nothing short of a miracle to fix the mess he'd made of himself now.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Whew. You still with me? I didn't intend on this to be so brutal, but once I got started I just couldn't back down. As for this chapter's title, it comes from a song of the same name by Awolnation. However, I wasn't listening to the song while writing this chapter so I can't really say that it inspired it. Maybe other chapters, but not this one. I decided to use the title mostly because I made an AMV of Sam Cham using it and Mugen is _definitely_ not alright anymore XD Anyway, how are you feeling about Neko & Genji? Did they swoop in and save the day, or are they just doing their jobs? Was Neko distracting Boss _deliberately_ to get Mugen the hell outta there, or was she genuinely so turned on by the violence that she couldn't help but jump his bones right then and there? How about Genji – starting to feel bad for his favorite punching bag?

*the real saying is "put lipstick on a pig" but Mugen messes it up because, well, he's Mugen – "We're filthy bitch!" "You mean filthy _rich!_" – I couldn't resist XD

* * *

><p><strong>Preview ch.17:<strong>

_ "You know you want to, Mugen." Hayato egged him on. "You two are cut from the same cloth, after all."_

_ Mugen's stormy orbs raged back at him with a glare so fierce that Hayato actually balked._

_ "That storm inside of you is gonna break sometime." Hayato warned. _


End file.
